


drop dead lou

by kosmicgirl



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Imaginary Friends, M/M, another version of peter pan i guess, drop dead fred - Freeform, old movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-18 11:06:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1426228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kosmicgirl/pseuds/kosmicgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young man who's attempting to find his place in the world battles with his controlling sister and a cheater husband, finds comfort and confusion with the appearance of his childhood friend; his imaginary friend.  </p><p>Or the one where Harry is a grown-up man who is lost in the adult world and his imaginary friend from childhood, Louis, appears after 21 years.</p><p>Text copyright © 2014 by kosmicgirl.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on the movie "Drop Dead Fred" made in 1991. It is not associated with the director or his publishing team. 
> 
> This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
> 
> Text copyright © 2014 by kosmicgirl (aka Marina)
> 
> ✖✖✖
> 
> This is my new larrystylinson fic. The thing is, I remember seeing this when I was about 9 years old, and I don't know why but I remembered and I saw it again and it's definitely one of my faves ever. So it gave me inspiration for the fic. 
> 
> Thanks for reading.

                “And then, the prince took the beautiful young girl in his arms and said,  _Will you marry me?,_ “ Anne said, sighing, “ _Yes_ , she whispered,  _I will be your princess_.”

                Anne closed the book and placed it in her lap.

                “Did they live happily ever after?” Gemma asked, jumping of excitement all over the bed.

                “Of course Gems,” Anne said, standing up from the chair beside Harry’s bed.

                “How do you know?” Harry asked lying in his little bed.

                “Because they were good, well behaved; if one of them had been naughty, the other one would have run away,” Anne said, pinching Harry’s rosy-pale cheek.

                “What a pile of  _shit_ ,” Harry said, Gemma rolling her eyes and Anne shaking his head, furious.

                Like every 5 year old, Harry Styles was happy, carefree, joyful; all of those things 5 year olds are. He had one lovely mother, Anne, a comprehensive adorable step-father, Robin and a not-so-cool but nice older sister, Gemma. You could even say, Harry was a normal kid. 

                But Harry had something slightly different from the rest of the kids his age; something not everyone could have, something not even the grown-ups could understand; he had an imaginary friend.

                And no, not just an imaginary friend, but he had Louis.

                Louis was Harry's imaginary friend. Louis seemed to be at least 18 year olds, although every time Harry asked him, Lou would say something like 568 years or even 1.459 years. Never the real age. Like a little pixie, Louis would jump around and loudly laugh every time Harry and he was into something. He had feathery brownish hair styled in a massive chaos, always in his face. With his beautiful deep blue eyes, he could make Harry agree to whatever he wanted to do. 

                Anyways, Harry had Louis and Harry loved Louis. No, but not the kind of cheesy romantic love, iuk, no, not that kind of love. Harry was too young to have that love, and Louis was to carefree to even think about love.

                Everything was perfect for both of them; every time Harry was feeling sad or didn't have any friends to play with, Louis would appear and bright Harry's day. And Harry loved it, to have someone like Louis that understand him and support him. 

                The only problem was, Louis was a big wave of mischievous.

                Whenever Louis would appear, Harry ended up in problems. And it wasn't Louis intention, no. The thing is, when they played, they didn't care about Gemma's belongings or about the expensive plates in the dining room, or even the just cleaned carpet in the living room. No, they didn't care.

                And every time Harry wanted to explain it wasn't his fault, but Louis who wanted to smashed the plates, or play with mud or use cut Gemma’s head’s doll to play golf, his parents would not believe him, and blame Harry for all the disasters.

                But, what could Harry possibly do? He was 5 years and no matter what he said, nobody believed him. He was sure all the fault was Louis. Louis have done it. Louis was real.  _At least for him._

                It was the same routine always. Harry would be bored, Louis appeared and they would do something that ended up bringing problems, scolding, punishments and sometimes even Harry ended up grounded. 

                Everything changed one night, when Gemma and Harry were in the house, waiting for their parents to return from a dinner. Gemma was, as  _always_ chatting with her friends, texting and doing her nails. Gemma was in charge of Harry in the meantime, but that didn't mean Gemma was aware of what Harry was doing. 

                Harry, in the other hand, was having a massive war in his room. He and Louis made fort blankets, throwing things to each other, recreating some kind of war that never existed. Harry, being only 5, didn't know what a proper war was, so whenever he was getting tired, he would make a treat with Louis; Harry could win if he promised to give Louis his candy for the rest of the week. And Louis liked that treat. 

                The phone started ringing and Harry groaned, yelling to Gemma for her to answer. Due to there was no answer from Gemma, Harry paused the game and got out of the room to answer the phone. 

                "Haz, don't answer the phone, let it ring," Louis said, smirking widely. 

                "But if we don't answer the phone, mum and dad may get angry," Harry said, turning to Louis, "what if it's an important call?"

                "Well, if its an important call, shouldn't Gemma answer?" Louis said, arching a brow. 

                Yeah, maybe Louis was right. Harry was only 5 for godsakes. Gemma was 12. She should be the one answering the phone. 

                So Harry let the phone ring and they returned to Harry's room, decided to play something else, until Harry's parents arrive. 

                But Harry's parents would never arrived. They would never returned. 

                When the phone started to ring the second time, Gemma answered only to receive bad news. 

                That phone call was from the hospital, apparently Harry's parents had an accident. A disastrous accident. In the way to their home, while Robin was driving, chatting up with Anne, happily, anxious to see their son and daughter, they didn't saw that a trailer was coming up, with high speed, not able to control such an enormity of car. The result, an accident and Harry's parents dead. 

                That day was the last time he had seen his parents; Anne kissing his forehead, whispering to his son 'I love you' while grabbing her coat from the closet next to the entry, Robin hugging Gemma, telling her to take care and called them if anything was necessary.

                That was the last time Harry had a happy carefree day. That was the last time he remembered seeing Louis. The instant Gemma came over his room sobbing, hugging Harry, Louis vanished, he dissapeared. 

                Harry was 5 years old, Gemma was 12 years old. And yet, they were foster kids. Thank god for Nana, Harry and Gemma's grandmother because if it wasn't for her, maybe they would have been giving in adoption or sent to a foster home. 

                That day, Harry learnt that you can't always smile, that not everything is okay and also, not everyone is  _forever._

 

✖✖✖✖✖✖

_**21 years later**_

                “ _I forgive you, Nick, I forgive you,”_  Harry said, rehearsing, “ _this is really important for me, our marriage— it’s okay, I love you too,_ ” Harry said to himself, smiling, “ugh it hurts to say it.”

                Harry was outside his husband’s office. He was in his lunchtime so he had time to do this. He rehearsed it all morning during breakfast. Everything was going to be okay.

                “Okay, Haz, everything it’s going to be  _okay_ ,” he said to himself before stepping out of his car and heading to the tall building and big windows.

                He entered the building, looking for Nick’s office on the third floor, anxious to what could happen.

                He knocked the door three times and wait at least seventeen seconds before Nick opened the door.

                “Nick, sorry I— this is really import—,”

                “Harry, Harry, what are you doing here?” Nick said, grabbing Harry by his shoulders, rather keeping him back than to hold him.

                “Nick, it’s okay, I forgiv—,”

                “No Harry, I thought you wanted this, you wanted me gone, to let it go, I get it now, we needed something to show us that we were not meant to be together” Nick said, stopping Harry from hugging him.

                “No— but I—,”

                “You were right, Haz!” Nick said, “I need to think about it, I know it was only a one night stand with Andrew but you were right, I need to figure this out.”

                “Andrew? Is that his name?” Harry said, looking surprised, “God, I didn’t know that, I only knew what you did with him in our sofa.”

                Harry’s eyes were glued to the floor and Nick had to keep lifting his head by his chin to see him.

                “Awww, Haz I’m sorry,” Nick said, “I was smitten by Andrew, I was bewitched by him, it wasn’t my fault, you know that, right?”

                Harry nodded, lightly, smiling to Nick.

                Just then, Nick’s phone started ringing, making Nick desperate.

                “Look, Harry,” Nick said, whispering, “I don’t want to do this whole  _I don’t want to see you ever again,_  or  _I hate you so much_ , because we are going to meet again, sometime and we had an amazing time all this two years—,”

                “Three, it was three years,” Harry said, smiling, “next month would have been three.”

                Nick sighed, getting angrier with every ring, “You see? It was fine, so let’s just leave it here and I’ll call you back sometime, okay?”

                Harry was just going to answer to Nick before he turned and picked up the phone, motioning Harry to close the door when he was out.

                Harry was shocked. He didn’t know what to do. He just lost the love of his life, the only one that wanted him in his life, his whole world, his husband. Anxious, not knowing what to do, Harry took out some coins and headed to the most nearest telephone cabin.

                “Liam,” Harry said, letting out a sigh, “I talked to him… No, he doesn’t want to arrange anything… he said he was going to move out… I don’t know, maybe with Andrew… yeah that’s his name… I’m about two blocks away from his office… I’m supposed to be lunching… yeah okay, talk to you later… bye Liam.”

                Harry then hung up the phone and rested his head in the window, watching the people past by him, all of them minding their own business.

                He got out of the cabin and walked to his car, only to figure that his car has been stolen. What?

                He was just inside for seven minutes how could someone—

                Oh dear god. He left the window down, he didn’t even remember if he put the emergency break or even if he locked the doors. For Christ sakes.

                He called a cab, needing to get to work, already running late. When he reached his building, running through the halls to get to the meeting, his boss was waiting for him outside of the conference room.

                “Sir,” Harry said, hyperventilating, “I’m so sorry, I my car was stolen and—,”

                “I don’t want to hear it Styles,” his boss said, “I’m tired of you running always late and you being so stupid over little tasks or messing with official papers that costs over thousands, billions of dollars.”

                Harry looked to the ground, his lips pursed.

                “I’m sorry Harry, but you’re fired,” his boss said and with that, he was gone to the conference room.

                Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be a catalyst for choosing that serve us more effectively.

                Harry took his belongings, not that he had a lot, and put them in a little box, decided to go home and sleep for the rest of the day.

                He didn’t think about Nick and the apartment until he opened the door and see Nick’s stuff. What is he going to do? This is also Nick’s apartment and he remembered Nick saying he was going to move out but what if he decided to not?

                Harry dropped then the little box, making no sound when the box reached the carpet. He was just about to start crying when he heard sounds on the kitchen.

                “Nick?” he asked out loud, waiting for someone to answer.

                “Oh good lord, look at you,” suddenly, Gemma came out of the kitchen, opening her arms for Harry to embrace her, which he did. “How are you doing, love?” she asked petting Harry’s hair, “Liam called me, said you and Nick had trouble and he told me to come here as quick as possible,” Harry groaned internally, cursing Liam in his mind, “I’ve been waiting for you about an hour, what happened?”

                Then Harry told her everything. About Nick, about Andrew, about his job. Gemma’s eyes were full of fond, seeing his brother in such a chaos. Of course she wanted Harry to get back to Nick again, Nick just needed time. Nick just needed a little talk with Gems.

                Gemma, still hugging his brother, whispered into his ear, “what if, little brother, you come and live with me until we figured out what to do?”

 _What?_  Live with Gemma?

                “It would be fun, you know. Like old times. Besides, you know I’ve been living in our old house since Nana died and the house is too big for my own,” she said, smiling genuinely.

                Their old house. He hasn’t been in that house since his parent’s funeral. It was a dark, sad day. He remembered, the little suit he had to wear and how he cried to Gemma because he just wanted to be in pjs because Anne wasn’t there to help him to change and Gemma shouting and throwing things; both of them broken. He also remembered everyone hugging him and telling him everything was going to be alright, that their parents were in a better place now, though Harry didn’t get it; he thought their house was a good place, why search a better one? Nevertheless, he believed them and that’s his biggest regret.

                After that, years went fast and blurry for Harry. He was a lonely boy through his entire life, until collage arrived. That’s where he met Nick and they instantly clicked. Harry started to go out again, went to parties, night clubs but most importantly, he had friends, so many  _real_  friends.

                Coming back from his thoughts, Harry nodded to Gemma, lifting his head to see her.

                “Yeah, it would be fun to live with you again,” Harry said.

                “That’s what I wanted to hear! Come on, let’s get your things.”

✖✖✖✖

                After eighteen minutes driving and listening to Gemma’s music, which by the way, it’s not that cool, they finally arrived to their old house.

                Goosebumps appeared on Harry’s skin as he took in memories of their old house. Somehow, it looked like a whole life time ago and he memories that kept playing in his head where now filtered with some kind of vintage tone.

                He took his case from Gemma’s car and carried all the way to the entrance of the house. He remembered the porch, the garden in the front, he even remembered how he used to sneak out from the windows beside the front door.

                Gemma took out her keys, opening the door, “I’ll make you a copy of the key tomorrow, for now, let’s just rest.”

                Harry nodded and entered the house, letting the smell attacked him, making him homesick. Was that even possible? To be homesick in your own home?

                He put down the case and followed Gemma to the living room, dropping his bum in the love seat, just across Gemma, siting in the single sofa.

                “God, Gemma what did you do here?” Harry asked, pointing at the surface of the love seat, apparently burned.

                “Me? It was you, prick! It was that time you were lighting fireworks inside the house because  _Louis_  wanted to celebrate New Year’s Eve…  you were about five,” Gemma said, laughing after remembering.

                Louis? What was she talking about—

                “Oh my god,” Harry whispered more to himself.

                “What?” Gemma asked.

                “ _Drop Dead Lou_ … I didn’t remember Louis,” Harry said, more nostalgic than shocked.

                “Well, thank god you didn’t, you were such a twat back then, always playing pranks on us,” Gemma said resentful.

                Harry tried to smile to his sister, but he couldn’t. The guilt of forgetting about Louis was invading him and he couldn’t take it. How could he forget about him? For so many years, (okay not so many) he was his only friend.

                “I think I’ll go to my room and take a nap Gems,” he said standing from the love seat, “thanks for letting me crash, anyways.”

                “My pleasure, little bro,” she said, now texting from her phone.

                He took the case upstairs, as he walked through the old rooms, not peeking inside of them, not wanting to see something unpleasant. Maybe Gemma changed the stuff or he could see something she didn’t want him to see. Who knows.

                Finally, he arrived to his room, opening the door and taking the sight in front of him. It was just like how he remembered it. The walls in light blue, his bed simple, with grey covers and a lot of toys arranged in a shelf. It was like going back twenty years.

                Suddenly, little Harry was back in his room, getting up from the bed, arranging his mess of curls, heading to his closet. He opened the door and turn on the light, watching all the old stuff, covered in dust. Something caught Harry’s eyes in the left corner of the closet, in the upper shelf.

                It was a little black box, with teal lines all over it and white tape keeping it closed, like saving  _something_  inside of it.

                He remembered, he knew the box. Carefully, Harry started to take off the tape, making sure to not damage the little box. His heartbeat was racing faster and faster and somehow he knew he had to make the tape disappear, he had to open it. He knew  _who_  was inside of it. How could he forget it? It had been twenty-one years and still, Harry felt like a little kid, somehow, planning a mischievous plan or something.

                The last tape was holding the top of the box.  He sighed one last time, before releasing the top, opening the box.

                Nothing. There was nothing. To be honest, Harry was a bit disappointed, he thought once he opened the box he could— ugh, never mind. Maybe he needed a little rest. Like Gemma said, it had been a really long day.

                Harry was now in his bed, tugged in his covers, only with a pair of black boxers, his naked chest against the cold sheets. It was funny, because now Harry was big compared to the little bed, maybe he could change the mattress tomorrow morning. Now, the only thing he needed was some sleep.

                He turned off the light of his nightstand and he closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come.

                “ _Pssst,_ ” Harry heard. What was that?

                Harry opened his eyes, sure he heard something. Through the dark, he tried to look for anything that could made that sound. Nothing.

                Doubtful, he closed his eyes again, resting his head in the puffy pillows.

                “ _Pssssst!!! Harold_ ,” another whisper and Harry finally turned the lights on, getting up from bed.

                Harry searched through the room, not seeing anyone. He headed to the closet, looking inside of it but there was nothing. He was just about to come out from the closet when,

                “BOOOOOO!!”

                “WHAT THE—” Harry shouted, hitting himself with something.  _Someone._

                “Ewwwww, what happened to you?!”

                Harry was in shock, he couldn’t believe it. His mouth hang open in amusement as he processed what was happening.

                “You are so old, and even uglier! Ewwwww!!!”

                “Drop Dead Lou,” Harry whispered. Louis was back. Louis was… jumping in his bed. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

“Where are all of the toys?” Louis said, checking the closet. “Where are them? I want to play with them, Haz.”

Harry watched Louis doubtful, not able to process anything.

“Harold, tell me where the hell did you put the toys I want to— oh,” Louis interrupted himself, picking up from the floor of the closet a doll, an old Gemma’s doll.

“Hello Daisy, remember me?” Louis said, smirking, “You are going to die!!!” he took the doll’s head and ripped it off, laughing like a maniac, jumping and smiling.

Louis drop the doll and took a teddy bear, if he remembered, it was one of the many teddy bears Harry used to have.

He ripped of the teddy bear, making all the stuff inside pop out and he started to throw it up in the air, shouting and jumping, full of joy.

Harry was mesmerized, frozen in his head, looking while Louis kept throwing stuff in the air, making everything seem like fake snow falling from the ceiling.

“I must be dreaming,” Harry said in a low voice to himself. He must be dreaming, right? It have been, what? Twenty years? Years more, years less. He couldn’t believe it.

“Where are the rest of the toys? Where’s the truck and the car and action—,”

“They are gone,” Harry answered Louis. “They are not here anymore; I’m grown up.”

“Grown up?” Louis asked, turning to see Harry.

“Yeah,” Harry said, still shocked.

“Grown. Up.” Louis said that to himself, trying to understand. Harry nodded, confirming him.

A smirk started to appear on Louis’ face, a familiar face. Harry remembered, of course he did. That smirk, was a mischievous smirk.

Louis took then Harry’s wrist, leading them outside Harry’s room.

“Louis, wait,” Harry tried to say, but it was worthless.

Louis was walking fast, even running, still gripping Harry’s wrist in his hand, both of them going downstairs, almost tripping by the hurried pace of the blue eyed boy.

“Wait, I have something for you Haz,” Louis stopped, looking at Harry. Harry turned his face to watch Louis, waiting. Harry remembered Louis’ eyes, but to have them in front of them one more time, those immense blue eyes, was unbelievable.

Just then, Louis licked his fingers and traced them down Harry’s cheek.

“Got you!!” Louis said, laughing his arse off, jumping away from Harry, opening the door of the front house to go outside.

Harry rolled his eyes, letting Louis’ saliva stay there, since he didn’t have any t-shirt to clean himself.

“Louis stop,” Harry whispered, going outside too, looking for Louis.

“Oh Harry, come on! Do it for the old times,” Louis tried to convinced Harry, pouting his lips as he stared at Harry.

“What are you even going to do?” Harry asked.

“Just watch, curly,” Louis said.

Then, Louis started walking through the front yard, stepping on the just mowed lawn. “Oh, there is it,” Louis spoke bringing Harry’s attention to him. Louis got his shoes full of mud, fresh wet mud. Of course, the mud would fall off if Louis stepped in the shoes again, so he had to return to the inside of the house on his hands, upside down.

 Finally, reaching the living room, Louis let himself stand up properly over the white cleaned carpet of the living room. Good lord, Gemma would yell at him in the morning for that.

Louis, dancing and jumping over all, leaving traces of mud everywhere, was shouting for Harry to join him.

“Louis, we should go back to sleep, we— we can play tomorrow or something,” Harry tried to speak.

“Fuck off, loser! I want to play NOW,” Louis said, emphasizing the last word.

Suddenly, Harry heard some noises from the floor above, lights turning on and a sleepy Gemma peaking over the stairs.

“Harry, is that you?” she asked, rubbing her eyes with her right fist.

“Ehh, yeah— yeah it’s me Gems, I’m just— I came down for a glass of water, sorry,” he answered, dropping an apologetic smile when he finished.

Gemma nodded and smiled to Harry, going back to her room. Thank god she didn’t came down.

“So, how about we spread all this ink in the carpet, and write something like  _‘Haz rulez, fuk off’_  or something, huh?” Louis said grinning, grabbing the little jar of blue ink.

“NO! Wait, Louis— Louis I have an idea,” Harry said, approaching Louis, grabbing the ink from Louis’ hands, “how about, we… play a game?” Harry said, looking at Louis.

“A game? What kind of game?” Louis answered back, doubtful, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Like,” Harry stopped, thinking for a minute, “hide and seek, yes hide and seek,” Harry told Louis, smiling, “do you want to play?”

“YES! Finally, you say something that makes sense,” Louis said, jumping over to Harry, taking them both down into the living room carpet. Thank god the ink jar didn’t broke.

“Okay, you I’m going to count until 20—“

“No way, Styles, count until 100 at least, give me some time, man,” Louis said, angry.

“Okay then, I’m going to count until 100 and then I’ll look for you, okay?” Harry said, leaning against the wall, covering his eyes with his hands.

“One, two, three…” Harry started to count and he heard Louis running somewhere along the kitchen.

When Harry thought it was good to peak, he took off his hands from his eyes and turned around, sighing and relaxing. Okay, that should make Louis disappear for the rest of the night.

 _Wait, what am I doing_ , Harry thought.

Harry was sure it was only a dream and he seriously hoped, once he got in bed again, everything would return to normality.

✖✖✖✖

Harry woke up the next morning, feeling tired and only in his briefs, his bare chest cold from the night before. He looked for a hoodie in his bags until he find a grey baggy one he liked. He put it on and then made his way down, to grab something and eat.

To his surprise, a very pissed off Gemma was in the living room, with buckets and all, cleaning all the mess Harry caused last night. At least that was what Gemma thought, it was  _Harry_.

“The only thing I wanted, was to have a clean carpet, a shiny clean carpet,” Gemma said, once he noticed Harry in the door frame.

“I know, I’m sorry Gems, I—,” Harry was interrupted.

“No, I don’t want to hear it, Harry, just… god, control yourself. You have barely been a day here and you’re already behaving like a five year old, just… control yourself,” Gemma said, sighing at the last part, obviously tired of brushing and cleaning the carpet.

“M’ sorry, I’m just— I’m just going to have some cereal or something,” Harry said, looking at the floor, noticeable guilty for putting Gemma into this. Because it was him, no one else. It was his fault… right?

Harry grabbed a bowl, putting cereal and pouring then milk in it, making the little pieces float around. He grabbed a spoon and then moved to the table, sitting down and starting to eat.

“So, I hid in the stupid garage all night, waiting for you to come and find me, but guess you forgot the rules of hide and seek, you snob face!” Louis yell, entering the kitche, apparently angry with Harry, just about to confront him when—

“So why did you do that, huh?” Gemma asked Harry, entering the kitchen, leaving all the cleaning stuff in the floor, taking out her gloves and resting in the counter.

“I— I mean, I don’t know maybe— I sleep walk or something,” Harry tried to explain, words rushing over his mouth, his mind blank.

“Is that— oh god,” Louis said, grinning and pointing at Gemma, “is that Gemma?!” Louis said, his face shocked and mouth opened.

“Yes,” Harry answered, launching a disapproving look at Louis.

“Yes what?” Gemma asked.

“No, nothing I just— yes, I’m very sorry, I’ll clean it up myself next time,” Harry tried to arrange.

“Holy fuck, she’s so old!! And good lord, what kind of hair is that? Blue? Purple? Ash?” Louis said, inspecting her from very close, almost touching Gemma.

“Stop it,” Harry said.

“Stop what?” Gemma asked once more time, getting worried.

“I mean, let me make that tea for you,” Harry said, standing up from the table and rushing over to Gemma, taking from her hands the kettle and the bags of tea.

“Oh well, thank you very much,” Gemma said, smiling to Harry, sitting down.

“Give me an axe,” Louis said, jumping of excitement, “no wait, give me a chainsaw, it’s much better and faster!!”

“So uhm,” Harry said, trying to focus, “are you going out today sister?”

"I don't know yet, why?" Gemma answered him.

“Yessssss,” Louis said, finding some scissors and inspecting them in his hand.

Harry gulped and saw Gemma, reading a magazine in the table, her long bluish hair falling down her back. She wasn’t obviously worried. But Harry was.

“So what are you going to do with Nick? I mean he’s your husband after all,” Gemma said, taking her cuppa from Harry’s hand

“Wait, what?” Louis froze, dropping the scissors to the floor, “you got…  _married_?”

Louis seemed angry, maybe a little hurt but above all, angry.

“I don’t know Gems, I guess, he’s—,”

“We promised to never get married, you fucking traitor,” Louis shouted, looking at Harry.

“Go away,” Harry whispered to Louis, giving him a disapproving look.

“You want me to go away?” Louis said, his voice sounding resentful. “Like, go away,  _forever_?”

“Yes, just go,” Harry answered, still whispering. He just wanted this nightmare to end. This couldn’t be happening now.

“Okay then, I’ll fucking go away,” Louis said, stumping in his feet, making his way outside the house.

“Harry, are okay?” Gemma asked, worried again by the behavior of his brother.

“Yeah I’m just going to go outside for a while,” Harry said, hurrying up to catch Louis.

Gemma’s eyes were wide and she only could nod. God, maybe this was harder for his brother than she thought.

Outside, Louis was picking all the gardening stuff and throwing them, some of them even breaking, but Louis didn’t care. He was wounded, he was hurt; they promised to never  _ever_  get married. 

And Harry broke that promise. Fucking prick, of course he did. Louis couldn’t believe it. He trusted Harry and he fucking broke the promise.

“Louis, stop!” Harry shouted, catching up to where Louis was now, tearing out grass and flowers from the garden.

Louis turned to see Harry, his face worried and his eyes sad. Of course he regretted broking his promise. Louis could see that. Or kind of.

“You really got married?” Louis asked, in a lower voice now.

“Yeah…” Harry answered, not able to maintain Louis’ look and instead looking at the green grass under his bare feet.

Louis let the shovel drop the ground, tired of carrying it.

“Well, aren’t you a fucking moron?” Louis shouted back, angry stirring again inside of him.  

Louis started kicking stones and ripped off flowers again, throwing them as well as some dirt.

“Louis, stop!” Harry yell one more time, sighing, “What are you doing here Louis? Why did you come back?”

“I’ll tell you why, you fucking nob,” Louis said, sarcastically, “because apparently, your life is falling into pieces because you got married with a fucking twat that cheated on you and you don’t have a clue of what you are doing with your life!! That’s fucking why!”

“That’s not true,” Harry said, hurt by the way Louis said that, although it was the truth, “I know what to do, I’m not a lost sheep in the world.”

“Well, if that’s true, why am I here?” Louis responded, fake grinning still angry.

Harry then stopped to think. Louis is right. When he was younger, Louis only appeared when Harry was in trouble, alone or needed someone to rely on. If Louis was back, after all these years, that means something must be really wrong with his life.

“So I can’t go home, until you get happy,” Louis said, with the shovel in his hands, “why the hell don’t you get happy?” Louis hit Harry with the shovel in his forehead and Harry cried out, putting both of his hands in his forehead.

“Okay then, I get it,” Harry said, still rubbing his forehead, aching, “the only thing that will make me happy, is get back to Nick.”

“If that’s so, I’ll help you,” Louis said, decided.

Harry scoffed, shaking his head, “You? Help me?”

Louis blinked and turned to him, offended, “Yeah me, help you, what’s wrong with that?”

“Don’t take me wrong, but you always kind of…,” Harry trailed his answer, thinking, “do pretty much the opposite of help me.”

“Rubbish! I’ll help you and that’s the end of it,” Louis said, firm.

“But you didn’t, I mean you always got me into trouble!” Harry said, now grinning. Of course Louis wouldn’t accept all of his fault.

“I didn’t!”

“You did.”

“I did not!” Louis said angrier, getting close to Harry’s face.

“You did.” Harry answered, grinning.

“I did not!!!”

“You did!”

“Did not!!”

“Yesssss, you did!”

“Did not!!” Louis said, not breaking the eye contact with Harry.

Harry scoffed one more time and answered in a low husky voice, “You did.”

Louis blinked a few times, taking a look at Harry’s lips before returning to see his green glassy eyes and he couldn’t help himself but licked his own bottom lip, holding his breath. Harry looked too… grown up. Maybe even… fit and… hot? Handsome? No way, none of those, but Louis was sure of one thing; Harry was not the same little curly innocent boy he was once.

Louis’ mind was back and he snapped out of the weird trance he was having, shouting one last time, “I did not and I hate you!” he stood up and kicked Harry in his knee, leaving Harry all injured again.

“Bye forever! I hope you die horribly!” Louis said, running away from Harry, away from the garden, towards the street.

“Louis, come back!” Harry shouted, not minding his knee and running after him.

Louis heard Harry shouting for him and he stopped in the middle of the street, turning back to look at Harry.

“You want me away? You think I can’t help you? FINE,” Louis shouted, as always, being dramatic, “I’ll stand here and let some car run over me, see if you like that.”

“Louis,” Harry said, tired of all the drama before even nine in the morning.

A car was approaching and Louis turned to see Harry’s reaction, to see if he cared or not, but Harry was not having, oh no. He knew Louis and he knew how dramatic he could be sometimes and he knew, above all things, he couldn’t let Louis win.

“Fine,” Louis said, finally, “Goodbye then, I’ll be in hell if you need me.”

The car was getting near and Louis was not moving. Harry was getting anxious because even if he didn’t like it, it was Louis, after all. Of course he cared.

“Louis, okay come back,” Harry said, the car getting near, just a few meters away Louis.

“No way, no,” Louis crossed his arms, shaking his head, “that’s it.”

Louis turned to see how near was the car and oh boy, it was near. Louis started to shout, his eyes wide and scared as Harry closed his eyes, not wanting to see what was going to happen.

The car passed, taking Louis in his windshield, Louis’ noise getting quieter and quieter, as Harry opened his eyes and see Louis’ shoes in the middle of the street.

 _Oh god_ , Harry thought,  _what have I done?_

_**Flashback**_

_Louis’ head popped out from the closet, the bright moon reflecting on his feathery brownish hair, all messed up and tangled._

_He was wearing a white sweater with fresh inked black stripes, god knows how he put them there._

_His grin was plastered in his face, walking towards Harry’s little bed in his tiptoes, making sure not to wake up Harry’s parents… just yet._

_“Curly,” Louis whispered, shaking little five year old Harry from his sleep, “curly, wake up.”_

_“What’s the matter Lou?” little Harry answered, rubbing his eyes and yawning, still sleepy._

_“Let’s play a game!”_

_“What? A game? But it’s night, Lou,” Harry said, complaining._

_“Yeah but… we obviously can’t play Burglars at day, can we?” Louis said his grin getting wider and wider._

_“Real burglars?” Harry sat up, waking entirely up, excited._

_“Yes, kiddo. I even made you a burglar sweater like mine!”_

_Louis showed then a little beige sweater, as well, fresh inked imperfect black stripes all over it. Harry remembered his aunt giving that sweater to Harry last Christmas, but whatevs._

_After putting his sweater on, they both walked downstairs, with each one a lantern, like proper thieves._

_They entered the kitchen, Louis peaking over to seek for something._

_“There it is,” Louis said, smirking._

_“What is it?” Harry asked._

_Louis walked to the garbage can, looking at the black plastic bag in it. “Look at this kiddo, we found a real burglars bag!”_

_Harry giggled and nodded to Louis, motioning him to get rid of whatever it was inside._

_Louis opened the trash bag and turned the bag upside down, with all the trash spreading over the kitchen floor, glass trash and heavy things making loud noises._

_“Let’s go then,” Louis said when he finally got the bag empty._

_In the floor above, Harry’s mom, Anne was woken up from the noises downstairs._

_“Robin,” Anne said to his husband beside her, “Robin, did you hear that?”_

_“What?” Robin said in a sleepy voice._

_“Robin, there’s someone downstairs,” Anne said worried, shaking his husband._

_“What are we looking for?” Harry said, following Louis into the dining room._

_“All the things we can steal, gold, silver, whatever it’s valuable,” Louis said, with a devil fake laugh. Harry laughed sincerely and nodded. He knew some of that stuff._

_Harry opened the drawers of the dining room, taking out all the fancy cutlery his mom saved for special occasions._

_“That’s great Harry!” Louis said, giving thumbs up to the little kid._

_Harry smiled, of course very proud._

_Turning around and leaving the black bag in the floor, Louis pointed at a little statue made of glass, “What about that one?”_

_“My mom said this was very expensive,” Harry said, taking the statue in his hands, “so we must be very careful,” he turned to look at Louis, nodding and then… dropping the statue inside the bag._

_“Robin, I’m sure there’s someone downstairs,” Anne said, getting anxious, “I just heard someone breaking a window.”_

_Robin got up from bed, hurried, “Yeah, I heard it too, let me find out.”_

_Harry and Louis moved to the living room, looking for more stuff._

_“What else should we steal then?” Louis asked to Harry._

_“Dial the police office, honey,” Anne said, turning the light on. Robin nodded and started dialing the police office._

_“Police office?” Robin asked, someone on the other line answering their call._

_“What about the telephone?” Harry said and Louis mischievously nodded, taking the telephone and just pulling the cable of the wall._

_“Hello?” Robin asked._

_“What’s the matter dear?” Anne asked, scared._

_“They cut the phone line,” Robin said, his eyes wide._

_“Oh my god, what are we going to do?” Anne asked, really scared._

_“So, like proper burglars, we are going to climb down from the windows, okay?” Louis asked Harry._

_“Okay,” Harry said._

_“And since opening your window requires delicacy and silence, I must do it,” Louis said._

_“Okay then,” Harry answered again._

_Just then, Louis took out of the bag a hammer and smashed the window, breaking it and making a big hole for the two of them passed through._

_“I loveeeeee breaking noises,” Louis said, laughing._

_“I’m going to go downstairs, love,” Robin said and Anne shook her head._

_“Let me go with you, you’re not going alone,” Anne said._

_Louis took the big black bag and threw it out through the now broken window, jumping outside the house himself._

_“Come on, kiddo, I’ll help you,” Louis said, carrying Harry through the broken window, not letting Harry get injured by broken glass._

_“Let’s bury them there,” Harry said, pointing to the side of a big tree in front of their house._

_“Yes, that’s great curly, let’s do it,” Louis said, grabbing the bag and running to the place._

_Police sirens noises could be heard and Louis turned to see Harry just as shocked as he was._

_“They discovered us!” Louis shout, covering his mouth with his hands after._

_“What are we going to do?” Harry said, worried._

_“Here, let’s hide here,” Louis carried Harry and hide themselves behind the tree, while a police car parked in front of their house, and two officers walking to the house._

_“I want you to be brave, Harry and tell them that it was all my fault, okay?” Louis said, grabbing Harry by his shoulders and looking at him firm._

_“No way, no!!!!” Harry said running away._

_“Harry!!!!”_

_The police officers got inside by the window while Robin and Anne where walking down the stairs._

_“Robin, I see them,” Anne whispered to her husband, pointing at the two figures by the window. Approaching to them, Robin decided to jump over the two figures, tackling them down._

_After almost an hour, Louis and Harry watched both police officers walking outside the house with worried faces and Robin and Anne behind, still scared._

_“If we find out anything, we’ll let you know, Mr. and Mrs. Twist,” one of the officers said before saying goodbye and walking down the front yard to their police car._

_“Oh god, we are in trouble now, aren’t we?” Harry said worried._

_“Nah, they won’t find out, we hid the treasure really well, didn’t we?” Louis said, turning to see Harry, but Harry’s eyes were starting to fill up with tears._

_“Hey now, Harold, what’s the matter?” Louis asked, over protective and tugging Harry closer to him, hugging him._

_“Maybe my mom and Gemma are right,” Harry said, sobbing, “M’ just a mess, a naughty boy.”_

_Louis puffed, looking down at Harry, “Listen to me Harry,” Louis said, grabbing Harry’s little chin, making Harry looked up to see him in the eyes, “Don’t you ever, ever say that, you’re more than that, you’re an incredible boy; an amazing, creative, charming boy. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, don’t believe anything else, okay? You’re perfect just this way and most importantly, I like you this way. So if you ever think of changing, I’ll smack your head for being silly, okay?”_

_Harry nodded, cleaning his tears with his sweater and hugging Louis, maybe to show him thanks, or maybe because he needed it._

_And Louis liked it, because it was his Harry, it was going to be his forever._

_✖✖_ _✖✖_

Harry remembered that time and he now felt guilty for underrating Louis. He had always been there for him, after all. No matter what happened, Louis was there.

“Harry, what are you doing out there?” Gemma asked from the front door.

“Umm, nothing I’m just… nothing,” Harry answered her.

“Well, come back here,” Gemma said getting desperate, “we have things to do!”

“But I thought you were going alone, I mean, I have to—,”

“Nothing, you don’t have anything to do, so come here and get dressed!” Gemma interrupted.

And okay, Harry sighed.

“After all, I’m going to help you get Nick back,” Gemma said smiling to a very nostalgic Harry.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was staring at himself in the mirror in front of him. Sure, the new haircut fit him right. He had his curls now up in a subtle quiff, looking more manly and grown up. Yeah, he liked it.

Gemma was behind him, looking at him too, grinning at the masterpiece she just created. Well, not exactly, but sort of. She just told Louise what she wanted for Harry.

“Lou here, is the woman who always does my hair, she’s like a hair goddess or something,” Gemma said smiling, looking at Lou, the stylist.

“Well, the fact that your hair is rather appropriate to my experiments is just fine,” Lou answered, giving Harry a last check before she took off the cape.

“So? Do you like it Harry?” Gemma asked, putting her hands in his brother’s shoulders.

“Yeah, it’s perfect, thanks Louise,” Harry said back, smiling shyly to the tall, slim pale-skin figure behind him.

“No problem, Harry,” she said, winking and smiling, “whenever you want.”

“Okay, now,” Gemma said, taking her bag and turning over, “to buy some new clothes.”

They got out of the hair-salon and made their way to some shops in the same mall they were in.

Harry thought his clothes were just good. Why did he need new ones? I mean, yes maybe he had some jeans ripped off, but he liked them that way. And yeah, maybe his boots were a little bit worn-out but he liked those boots, like, a lot.

Gemma entered some shops like Burberry and Saint Lauren, while Harry wanted to enter to vintage stores or even GAP. He didn’t want to dress like posh. But since Gemma was paying…

Anyways, they at least bought like three new pair of jeans and no less than seven button-up shirts, none of them flannel or plaid shirts, because Harry had already tons of those, and of course, new pair of boots and a new elegant coat.

Harry looked different, more grown up, more serious. No one who looked at him walking down the street would believe he had an imaginary friend. Never.

When they got home, there was a little note stick on the door with Harry’s name on it.

“What’s that?” Gemma said, opening the door.

Harry took the note from the door, and unfold it, starting to read it. It was from Nick. Nick, like his husband.

“Ohhh, nice,” Gemma said, putting the bags down and closing the door, “what does it says?”

Harry started reading out loud, for Gemma to listen,

_“Dear Harry, I came by but there’s was no one in sight, so I decided to leave this note. I miss our mornings, the way you made my days brighter with your smile and your scent all over my pillow. I miss those days tasting champagne in our living room sitting by the fireplace. Please, call me. We have so much to talk about. Love, Nick.”_

“See? I told you, being with me was going to make Nick think straight,” Gemma said.

“I have to go and see him, Gems,” Harry said, leaving the bags in the dining table and taking his keys from the little bowl by the door.

“Okay but just— like call me if you need anything?” Gemma said but it was too late, Harry was already outside.

✖✖✖✖

Harry opened the door to their flat, Nick and his. He made his way inside, leaving the keys in the kitchen counter, going to their room, looking for Nick.

“Nick,” Harry said loudly, “Nick I’m here.”

No one answered, meaning Harry was alone in their flat. Nick hadn’t arrived yet to the flat.

It had been only yesterday, but Harry already missed his flat so much. Or maybe it wasn’t so much the flat, but the memories in it.

Ever since they graduated, Nick and Harry had lived there, meaning the flat saw how their relationship grow and they become a married couple. Also, yeah, maybe the flat also saw that one time Nick cheated on Harry with… what was his name? Ugh, who cares. Harry missed this.

Harry sat in their bed, only to lie down and look at the ceiling, sighing at those memories.

That was depressing. So Harry got up from the bed and better look at himself in the complete mirror they had in their room. That mirror was the one Nick used every morning to dress himself in a different suit with an expensive tie to go to work. Harry shook those memories, afraid of tears might appear.

Wow, the new Harry really looked posh. He looked at himself, wearing new tight black jeans and his new pair of boots with a white button-up shirt, and not to mention his new hairstyle.

He got closer to the mirror, inspecting his hair when all of the sudden,

“YO DUDE!” Louis appeared in front of him, between himself and the mirror.

Harry shouted loud, obviously scared as shit and he almost tripped jumping back from the scare.

“HA-HA! I scared you,” Louis said, laughing at the poor shocked Harry.

“I thought you were DEAD!” Harry said, now angry.

“No way sir, it takes more than a simple car to make Drop Dead Louis to go away,” Louis said forming a Z, snapping his fingers.

“Yeah well, you will have to leave because I’m here to speak with Nick,” Harry said, before heading out of the room to the living room.

Louis wrinkled his nose at the mention of Nick, nevertheless, followed Harry out of the room.

“Okay so, I’ll go and leave the two of you alone,” Louis said, a bit serious for being  _Louis_  and Harry turned to him, nodding, “just one more thing,” Louis said, taking Harry’s attention, “Nick is not coming.”

“What do you mean Nick is not coming?” Harry said confused.

“I mean, he’s not coming because,” Louis said, sitting down on one of the sofas, “I wrote that note,” Louis said, laughing at the end.

Harry then dropped his smile, his emotions dissapearing and his expression went blank. Of course, Louis was still laughing at him.

“Haven’t got a husband, haven’t got a husband,” Louis said in mocking tone, “Oh, but you know what you have?” Louis said standing up, “a really stupid haircut.”

Harry didn’t respond, he just sat down on the large sofa and stared directly at the wall, emotionless.

Louis noticed, like he noticed he hurt Harry so he stopped mocking him and felt the guilt inside his body growing.

“Curly….,” Louis said, approaching Harry, “it was only a joke… it’s not true.”

Louis tried to reach for Harry, but he flinched. Louis sat near Harry in the sofa but Harry moved, pulling apart from him.

“C’mon, it was… a joke,” Louis said pleading and getting closer to Harry, but again, Harry moved.

“Harold…” Louis said once more time, pleading and moving closer to him but unfortunately for Harry, there was no more sofa to pull apart.

So Harry had no other option than to turn to look at Louis, his eyes starting to look glassy, threating to let tears roll and Louis felt bad. Like, a really bad friend.

Thing is, Louis didn’t know what to do. Like yeah, when Harry was younger, Louis could hug him. And it was kind of okay, even though Louis was not a hugger, but like Harry needed it because he was a toddler and well, Louis kind of care for him so he could skip his policy of ‘not hugs’ just because of him.

But now, like Harry was older and he was looking all grown up and hot and fit, but like still broken and Louis felt… protective. But he couldn’t hug Harry because, well, Harry was looking… good, okay? With his new clothes, he even got more attractive and yeah, Louis didn’t know what to think about it. Even the stupid new haircut, it kind of look hot on Harry.

So Louis didn’t know what to do. Louis reached for the pocket of his jeans and took a cookie out of it.

“You want my cookie?” Louis said in a low voice, showing it to Harry and when Harry looked up to see, well, the cookie had dust in it and god knows how long Louis had it inside his pocket and the cookie even looked rancid.

Harry chuckled, with a shaking breathe and his hands wiping the little tears in his cheeks, sighing at the end.

Louis chuckled with him too, because really, he needed to check his pockets more often.

“What’s the matter, kiddo?” Louis said, bringing himself closer to Harry.

“I just— I thought Nick really wanted me back,” Harry said, his voice broken and tears threating in his eyes, rolling down again.

Louis didn’t understand it, though. Who wouldn’t want Harry back? It was, after all, Harry. Like, those green sparkly eyes were obviously so enchanting and his curls, his charming brown curls were just perfect; not to mention his smell, and his bright fresh smile, that could light up the whole room, and finally but not last, Louis’ favorite thing about Harry, his fucking dimples. Those dimples were Louis’ kryptonite.

“What is so special about him, anyways?” Louis said, trying to comfort Harry. Of course the idea of Harry talking about another lad didn’t bring joy to Louis, but then again, Louis would do everything for Harry, so.

Harry turned to see him, doubtful, “You really want to know?”

“Yeah, c’mon, tell me,” Louis answered.

“I… I love him,” Harry said, getting a rather angry sigh from Louis.

“Why?” Louis couldn’t believe him. Like, Louis was sure this lad Nick wasn’t enough for Harry. No one was going to be ever enough for Harry.  _Except maybe him._

“I don’t know… I guess— like he used to bring me flowers and, bought wine for us— like he’s very romantic,” Harry said looking directly at Louis’ eyes, “he can be really sweet sometimes.”

Louis nodded, smiling but again, it was  _Louis_. So he couldn’t bare the idea of romance and well, Harry was now looking at Louis being dramatic and fake-puking all over the furniture.

 _Of course_ , Harry thought.

Louis stopped his drama only to look at some poster on the table by the window.

“What’s this?” Louis asked to Harry.

“That’s one of Nick’s posters for the elegant party at his office,” Harry said, remembering what Nick had told him two weeks ago, “I think they are going to present their new product.”

“Well, that’s settle then,” Louis said, “we are going to the party!”

“No,  _we_  are not going anywhere,” Harry said, “besides, maybe Nick doesn’t want me there.”

“Ugh, c’mon Haz, it’s your opportunity!”

“No Lou, let’s just— let’s just wait and see,” Harry sighed, getting up from the sofa, decided to make a cup of tea and just relax.

✖✖✖✖

It was almost midnight when Harry decided he needed to talk to someone. And no, Louis wasn’t in that list. After all, he needed to talk to someone  _about_  Louis.

So right, he decided he needed Liam. Harry made his way out of his room, being very careful not to wake up a snoring Louis in the couch, taking the keys on the counter and opening the front door, getting outside. But then again, Louis is a light sleeper.

Harry was outside Liam’s flat, banging lightly and texting Liam, pleading his friend would get up and just like, listen to Harry.

“Harry?” Liam asked, opening the door and letting Harry in, “what the hell? It’s too late, what happened?”

Harry turned to see Liam, just in his pjs pants with no shirt at all, his bare chest flashing before Harry’s eyes. Thing is, Harry wasn’t even bothered, he needed to talk about his new problem.

“Do you remember Drop Dead Louis?” Harry said, not even greeting.

“What? What the hell—,”

“My childhood imaginary friend, Louis,” Harry interrupted Liam, talking a little bit faster.

“Of course not, what are you even talking about?” Liam said, getting angrier because he was supposed to be sleeping.

“He’s back, Liam,” Harry said, sounding more like a lunatic, while Liam shook his head, not wanting to deal with this right now.

“Harry, let’s just—,”

“I can't stand it anymore Liam,” Harry said interrupting again, “Like, he’s everywhere I go and it’s insane because I'm the only one that can see him,” Harry said talking fast, motioning his hands in the air, “M’ telling you, it’s driving me crazy.”

Liam sighed, giving Harry a weird look.

“Like, he’s my best friend and still I’m scared to death of him,” Harry said sounding more serious.

“Wait a minute,” Liam said, stopping Harry by taking him by his shoulders, “I thought I was your best friend.”

Harry chuckled, more relieved, “Of course you are, you know what I mean, I just— I just need someone to see him so I know I’m not going crazy.”

“Well, is he here now?” Liam asked, looking around the room. Harry turned, also looking around but nope, Louis was not in sight.

“No, he’s not,” Harry said and Liam nodded.

“Leeyum!” a shout from upstairs made both boys get out of their thoughts, “Are you coming back?”

“It’s Zayn,” Liam explained to Harry, “Yes love, just give me a minute,” Liam shouted back to Zayn.

“Please Liam, I just— let me stay the night, I won’t cause any trouble, I promise,” Harry said pleading and Liam not sure, “I can stay in the couch and— I promise I won’t even stay for breakfast,” Harry said, pouting his lips, knowing that way Liam would say yes.

Liam sighed, tired because right, he was supposed to be sleeping and he really want to go back to sleep so he just nods and Harry hugs him, thanking him.

Now in Liam’s couch, Harry was deeply asleep snoring and dreaming. Well, at least that’s what he thought.

It was back in time, when Harry was just four and he was sleep in his little bed. He had that time a difficult time in school because the boys in his class laughed at him over stupid things like Harry’s favorite color, which was pink or Harry singing songs he and Louis made up the day before.

So yeah, Harry was sleeping, when Louis appeared from the dark corner of Harry’s room, with scissors in hand. Louis grinned widely, looking at Harry’s brown curls because yeah, those curls were precious for Louis. So precious, that he wanted to keep them for himself. So one thing led to another, when Harry had half of his curls cut down, spread over Harry’s pillow.

“Harry,” someone whispered. What time was it again? “Harry,” someone said again and Harry stirred in the couch until he recognized Liam’s voice and opened his eyes.

“Hey,” Harry said with a husky low voice, getting up from the couch.

“Why did you do this to yourself?” Liam said looking preoccupied for the young lad.

“What—,” Harry turned to see the couch and yeah, pieces of his hair were all over it and the scissors in the floor beside the couch.

“Are you okay, mate?” Liam asked.

“It was Drop Dead Louis,” Harry said angry, “he must have followed me and cut it.”

“Well, yeah I don’t know but,” Liam said stepping back, “I mean, please clean up the mess and I’m going for breakfast, since Zaynie is already asleep,” Liam said.

“Yeah, okay don’t worry,” Harry said waving his hand, motioning Liam not to worry, “I’ll be gone before you come back.”

“Thanks mate,” Liam said taking his keys and heading over the door, “And we can talk about this imaginary friend later with a cup of tea or something, just don’t do anything crazy again until then.” And Liam was then gone.

Harry sighed, heading to the kitchen, looking for a plastic bag to put all of his hair, and good lord, it was a lot. Guess he would get back to the days with his side fringe over his forehead.

He took the broom and bag and picked up all the hair in the floor as well. And the thing is, even if he wanted, he couldn’t hate Louis for this. He kind of expected so…

Finishing up, he took the bag and made a knot into it, decided to take the bag outside with the trash containers outside Liam’s building.

Just when he left the bag in the container, he turned to head over the stairs again but Nick passed in front of the building in his car. Oh god, it was Nick. Of course he was.

“Nick!” Harry shouted, expecting Nick to stop, but Nick didn’t hear him. Harry needed to talk to him, he needed to explain Nick that he want him back, that he forgive him.

 _Oh god, oh god_ , Harry thought. He needed a car or something to go after Nick, but he how the hell—

Liam’s motorbike. He knew where the keys were and even though he wasn’t sure how to ride it, he could try. For his relationship with Nick.

Thank god there were traffic lights in the same block Liam’s flat was, so Harry had time to look for the keys and still be able to track Nick.

Back down again, Harry got up in the huge thing and put the key in the ignition, turning it to start the motorbike on when suddenly,

“What you doing pickle?” Louis appeared behind Harry up in the motorbike, pocking Harry’s ribs, making him jump and shout.

“What— just— arrrrrrgh!! Stop doing that,” Harry said desperate.

“Haz! Can I ride it?” Louis said excited.

“No way,” Harry said, “Just shut up and let me figure this thing out.”

“C’mon curly, I know how to drive it, just let me and we’ll reach Nick,” Louis said.

“No just—,” the motorbike started functioning. Harry drove to the street then, the traffic light just turning green and Nick hitting the pedal to go.

“Go Harry, you’re falling behind!” Louis said, pointing at Nick’s car.

“Shut up Louis, I can’t concentrate with you shouting,” Harry said nervous. He knew how special this thing was for Liam. If something ever happened to this thing…

“What are all this buttons?” Louis asked, peaking over Harry’s shoulder.

“I don’t know, but get your dirty hands out of them,” Harry said.

“Don’t be a killjoy, Harold,” Louis said, moving his hand to buttons.

“I said stop!” Harry shouted back to Louis, smacking Louis’ hand away.

Harry was nervous and desperate. He barely even saw Nick ahead and Louis was stressing him out. Oh good lord. What had his life become?

“Yo, Harold, don’t be rude,” Louis said, smacking Harry’s head.

“Ouch,” Harry said, the pain distracting him, “Louis, just STOP!”

“You stop, twat!” Louis said back, smacking him again.

“Louis, I’m serious, I said—,”

He didn't notice but Harry distracted himself and released the clutch, making the motorbike jolt. Harry lost control over the huge thing, both of them, Louis and Harry shouting, crashing over with a wall.

✖✖✖✖

Harry was alone in the stairs of Liam’s building waiting for Liam. He had to explain to him what happened and that he would obviously paid for the motorbike.

Just then, Liam appeared with a couple of bags from Tesco and Harry stood up, confronting him.

“Hey Li,” Harry said, looking at the floor.

“Oh god, what happened?” Liam said, already worried, “Why are you outside? What now?”

Harry looked up and sighed; he had to do it. He knew he had to.

“It’s just… something happened to your motorbike.”

Liam dropped the Tesco bags and put his hands over his mouth.

“I— I wanted to go after Nick, because— he kind of just like— passed in front of the building but then Louis appeared and we lost the control and—,”

“Ugh, tell him not to cry, for fucksakes,” Louis appeared, obviously irritated by Liam’s reaction, “It’s just a silly motorbike.”

“What?” Liam asked watching Harry. Harry stopped talking so obviously something was happening.

“He’s here, he— I mean Louis,” Harry said.

“Heyyyy traitor,” Louis complained.

“You mean, here?” Liam asked, motioning beside him.

Harry was about to shake his head, saying no, Louis was actually beside Harry, but Louis took Harry’s head and made it nod for him.

So the next thing Harry and Louis saw, is Liam  _taking_  Louis and  _hitting him_  and  _smacking him_ , very furiously because this stupid Louis just broke his beloved motorbike. And yeah, Louis was laughing his arse off because Liam was doing all of that to air, and the whole thing was funny as hell.

Harry turned to look to Louis, with a disapproving look but to be honest, it was a little funny.

Liam got excited by this  _fake-kicking ass_  so much that he started  _stumping over_  Louis, shouting and venting over the fact that he was so done with this Louis kid.

Finally, when Liam was done, he looked to Harry and shyly smile to him.

“Did I ended him?” Liam asked, tired.

“Yeah— he’s practically dead,” Harry said, nodding and faking a smile.

“Good, because he deserved it,” Liam said, taking the Tesco bags and heading to his flat, because maybe his Zaynie is already up waiting for Liam to come home.

Harry and Louis were left alone in the hall once again, and Harry just sighs.

“You have to admit, we looked pretty badass in that motorbike,” Louis said smiling innocently. And Harry chuckled because, what else could he possibly do? Louis was obviously going to stay through all of this. He just had to learn how to manage him and not get him into more trouble.  


	4. Chapter 4

“I don’t like being here Haz,” Louis said, stomping his feet on the ground like a toddler throwing a tantrum.

“It’ll be just a few minutes Louis,” Harry answered, rolling his eyes, “I just need to find something for Nick’s work’s party…”

“I have a better idea!” Louis said, with his high-pitch voice, smiling to Harry, “What if, we go to a hardware shop and then we buy like a big bag and a hammer and nails and a rope and—,”

“Wait, what do you want to go to a hardware shop?” Harry asked, confused.

“Will you just wait for me to finish?” Louis snapped to Harry, “So… that way we can kidnap Nick and bring him to your house and make him appreciate you and if he doesn’t do the first times, we can hit him and smashed him and—,”

“It’s not going to work,” Harry said.

“Oh and you know about that? Tell me, how many times have you tried it?” Louis answered Harry, being the sassy guy he always was.

“Just no— no way, Louis! We are not doing that,” Harry said annoyed, “Stop thinking like a five year old and help me look for something to dress.”

“Okay then,” Louis said defeated, “My idea sounded better but I’ll do as you wish.”

“Finally,” Harry said in a low voice, nevertheless, Louis heard him and punch Harry in the arm, gaining an ‘ouch’ from Harry.

Harry looked at his clock and turned to look at Louis, “I have to go, I’m having lunch with an old friend.”

Louis was already forming a smile on his lips when Harry continued, “And it’s not you,” Harry said Louis wanting to interrupt but Harry put a finger in his lips continuing, “And no, you’re not invited.”

“Why not? We used to do everything together!” Louis yelled but it was too late, Harry was already leaving the shop, leaving a wounded Louis behind.

✖✖✖✖

“Everything looks good in here,” Austin said, reading the menu across from Harry.

“I know right? This is Nick’s favorite place,” Harry said without thinking.

“Oh— that’s… good, I guess?” Austin said, obviously feeling awkward at the mention of Nick.

Harry smiled, not aware of what Austin meant but still nodded to Austin.

Harry was happy that Austin called, he really missed the blonde guy. Austin Butler here, was Harry’s old neighbor; like when he used to live in his actual home. They were really good friends in the past, like they used to play a lot whenever Austin’s parents weren’t home because they, of course, weren’t a fan of Harry, the kid next door. They were sure Harry was a bad example for their kid. Like, that kid always talked about an imaginary friend and they were sure the kid was crazy and needed special medication but— Austin didn’t care back then. Because he really liked Harry back then. He really liked him now.

Austin still lived there, in the same house but he was now alone because his parents where away in a retirement house and since he recently got divorced from his husband,  _just as well_ , he came back to his childhood house. And well, Austin saw Harry, like the Harry Styles, back in his old house with Gemma and everything so of course they needed to catch up.

Harry took of his beanie off his head because they were in a kind of refined restaurant so he needed to show some manners and stuff.

“Ugh god, I hate my hair,” Harry said, putting away the beanie inside one of the pockets in his coat. Louis can go to hell for cutting his hair.

“Don’t say that, I really like it,” Austin said, giving a reassuring smile to Harry.

Harry twitched his lips and gave the blonde boy in front of him a faint smile.

“Relax Harry, let’s just have a nice lunch, yeah?” Austin said, reaching into the table to take Harry’s hand but Harry moved it before Austin could do anything.

“Okay,” Harry said, inhaling and exhaling, slowly before feeling his muscles in his back relax.

“What’s happening?” Louis appeared on the table, right between Harry and Austin, Harry jumping in his seat muffling a shout.

Harry leaned to the side, wanting to see Austin and ignore Louis because hell no, he didn’t need this now… again.

“What— oh no, Austin four-glasses Butler,” Louis said rolling his eyes, “Who let him enter this place? Don’t people know he used to wet his bed or what?”

Harry turned to see Louis, “Go away!” Harry whispered.

“What?” Austin said nervously.

“M’ sorry, it was not meant for you— I mean—,”

“No, no don’t apologize, I love the way you are to be honest, that’s something I always admire from you,” Austin said smiling, “I love the way you talk with honesty and even when you used to sing.”

“Oh god, look at him,” Louis said disgusted, “Still talking about love and shit. You should be a girl.”

Harry chuckled at the words of Louis because he’s right, he remembered Austin always talking about how he craved for real love and a fairytale love and some other girly stuff.

“You know, it’s been difficult for me, since I divorced and people tend to believe you never really fall out of love,” Austin said, taking the glass full of water in his hand.

“For fucksakes, would you  _ever_  stop whining?” Louis said, now besides Harry.

“That— that sounds interesting, I would like to know how it went I mean,” Harry said taking also the glass in front of him, “Was it difficult?”

“Some parts, yeah but,” Louis took Harry’s hand, the one holding the glass up, and shook it, spilling some drops in the tablecloth, “Like, you get over it, really— uhmm,” Austin looked across the table for Harry, but Harry smiled, trying to ignore the fact that Louis was shaking his hand and the water was spilling everywhere.

“Mhm,” Harry said, nodding.

“And like— you don’t know,” now Louis was turning Harry’s hand upside down, making the water splash in the floor, “Like— how much you end up hating the word divorce and,” Louis smirked playfully while Harry tried to avoid the weird glances from the other tables, “You know— get back to the game.. dating.”

“Right,” Harry said, finally getting out of Louis’ grip and leaving the glass in the table.

Austin glanced Harry, making sure the curly boy in front of him was alright, but Harry kept his light smile on his face, so he decided to continue, even though Harry was acting weird.

“So… it was hard, at the beginning because,” Louis took Harry’s hand again, moving his hand and playing with his fingers, occasionally lifting his arm while Austin was still talking, “It felt… like high school, all over again,” Austin said, watching Harry.

Louis was pulling Harry’s hand and Harry tried to control his body when Louis let go of Harry’s arm and Harry pushed the glass off the table, hitting the floor and crashing into million tiny pieces.

Harry gasped covering his mouth with his free hand while Austin looked at the floor with wide eyes.

“Why did you do that?” Austin asked.

“Yeah Harold, care to explain why did you do that?” Louis said with a pleased smile on his face.

“I— I did that because… because— I wanted to… to get the waiter’s attention,” Harry said finally.

Only then, the waiter arrived with their orders, looking at the floor and shaking his head. He let the plates in the table and then motioned someone in the back to clean the mess.

“Guess it worked,” Austin said laughing lightly.

Harry tried to laugh too but he couldn’t. He was getting tired of Louis’ attitude and to be honest, he’s not sure he wants Louis here anymore. He’s not helping anyway, if not making things worst. Not to mention people thought he was going crazy.

“Jeez, thanks I was hungry,” Louis said, leaning into the plate to smell the food in Harry’s plate.

Harry glared back at Louis, shooting him a death glare but Louis didn’t care. He was also getting tired of Harry not being true to himself.

Louis took the plate and lifted up but Harry stopped it. He knew what Louis wanted to do. Louis wanted to throw the plate away, for it to smashed the floor or wall or whatever.

Harry, with all his force, tried to put the plate down but unfortunately, Louis was harder than him.

The plate flew through the room to the other side just into a wall above an old lady, who shouted when the plate banged the wall and broke into pieces. The pasta was all over her hair and the veggies in the floor. It was a complete chaos.

“Okay, what did you do THAT?” Austin said, scared.

“Because… I’m crazy,” Harry replied, like if nothing was wrong.

Austin laugh, soft first but then he lift up his head to saw Harry, once more before he took one veggie from his own plate and threw it to the floor.

“Wow,” Austin said, wide eyes staring Harry, “This really feels amazing!”

Harry nodded, and yeah poor Austin. He made the poor guy nuts. Austin started to take pasta as well and throw it to other people, and of course, people started to complain until both, Harry and Austin where kicked out from the restaurant.

Austin was laughing loud, like a toddler excited and defying the cops in the entrance but Harry took his arm, turned him over, “Let’s go Austin… somewhere else.”

“Wait Harry, I forgot something,” Austin yelled and run back again, the cops going after him.

“Now, I like it much better than before,” Louis said appearing but Harry just turned on his feet and tried to get away from Louis, walking down the street.

“Wait, where are you going? Fun is just starting!” Louis called back Harry.

“No, it’s not fun!” Harry said, confronting him, people passing by watching weirdly at Harry, “All you do is get me into trouble! First Liam’s motorbike and now Austin has to pay for stuff in the restaurant,” Harry said, shouting to Louis.

“C’mon, that’s nothing, no biggie,” Louis said, waving off his hands.

“Oh yeah sure except, YOU ARE RUINNING MY LIFE!” Harry shouted once more, a few more heads turning to see the crazy lad talking by himself.

“You know what’s your problem?” Louis said, getting angry, “You’re not fun anymore, you’re a proper grown up, boring and lame, just like your old sister,” Louis said getting closer to Harry’s face.

“How dare you!” Harry said offended, “You know what? I don’t want an imaginary friend anymore, you’re driving me crazy!”

“Oh, you don’t?” Louis said, doubtful.

“No! Just please, get out of my life!” Harry said finally.

“FINE!” Louis yelled back before he disappeared.

Harry took a deep breath before he turned around to see the faces watching him. Yeah, maybe he was mental, maybe he needed help.

He walked a little bit more down street, wanting to distract himself for a while, when he saw a girl, sitting on a bench, listening to music and moving her head, probably following the music.

He decided to sit down next to the girl, but as soon as he turned around to say hi to the girl, Louis was there instead, listening to music and moving his head, almost singing the song playing.

That’s it, Harry couldn’t handle it anymore. Even though he told Louis to get away, he was still there, bothering him and making his life difficult. He was so done, he couldn’t bear it anymore.

He launched himself over Louis, shaking him and shouting to get away from him but then again, once he looked to see Louis, there was only a poor girl in his hands, looking honestly shocked and about to cry.

“Oh god— M’ so  _so_  sorry I thought—,” and well, this wasn’t just Harry’s day, was it?

✖✖✖✖

“Thanks officers,” Gemma said, after signing a check and giving it to them.

Harry looked at his sister, obviously mad and he tried to avoid her gaze. Apparently, some people saw what Harry did to the poor girl and called the cops. Not that Harry wasn’t going to apologize or something, because it was obviously his fault, but anyways, the cops detained him and called Gemma. Gemma had to pay for the restaurant mess and physical aggression to an unknown person.

The cops nodded and dismissed everybody watching the scene, not wanting any more disturbs in the streets.

“What’s wrong with you? Physical aggression? Destruction of property?” Gemma asked furiously.

“Just a couple of plates and glasses,” Harry said, his voice so low but still audible.

“I DON’T CARE! Just—,” Gemma sighed and composed herself, “You’ve been acting so weird lately and I don’t even know why—,”

“It’s Drop Dead Lou,” Harry interrupted Gemma, “It’s not me, it’s him.”

“What?” Gemma asked confused, “Are you serious?”

Harry nodded, keeping his eyes on the floor, because yeah, he also felt embarrassed for the way a  _creation_  of his imagination was messing his life.

Gemma thought about it for a second. No way, there’s no way Drop Dead Lou was going to mess up with their lives again. She had enough when she was a kid, there was no way this  _problem_  in Harry’s head was going to destroyed their lives.

Gemma sighed once more time and looked at his not-so-little brother with his gaze down and himself defeated.

“I guess it’s time for you to meet Dr. Ryland,” Gemma said, catching Harry’s attention.

✖✖✖✖

“So that’s it all for now Harry,” Dr. Ryland said, leaving his notepad in the little table in front of him and taking off his glasses, “You can wait outside, just let me talk with your sister for a while, okay?”

They were in Dr. Ryland’s office, both Harry and Gemma; Harry was lying in a long sofa, very rigid for his taste and Gemma was sitting in a chair, next to Dr. Ryland’s desk.

See, Dr. Ryland was one of the best doctors in town, supposed to help kids with depression and problems, but his specialty was kids with imaginary friends. And thing is, he was one of the best in the subject.

Harry stood up from the couch, nodded and left the room, leaving Gemma and Dr. Ryland alone in room, decided to wait for Gemma in the lobby just outside Dr. Ryland’s office.

The lobby was some kind of playground; toys were in the middle in organized boxes and there was a little shelf with books to read and color. Even some pillows in the carpet for kids to accommodate themselves while they wait.  Harry would be there if he was five, already lied down in the carpet, doing some puzzle or something.

There, in the lobby, were at least three mothers with their children. Harry guessed they were waiting for their appointment with Dr. Ryland, but to him, the children looked perfectly fine. They weren’t talking alone or making some mess, some of them were even reading or just sitting patiently while it was their time to go inside.

How come his imaginary friend was the only messy one? The only mischievous one? That’s not fair, is it?

Just then, Louis appeared right beside Harry, in a chair.

“Sorry,” Louis said quietly, “I didn’t think it would cause so much trouble.”

Harry tried to avoid Louis’ gaze, rolling his eyes and only looking sideways at times.

“What did the doctor say?” Louis tried to make conversation because well, after all, he was Harry’s best friend, right? He still was. “Are you insane?” Louis asked, getting desperate, “What? Tell me Harold.”

Harry ignored him, even if he wanted to tell Louis that no, he wasn’t insane and that he only wanted some peace for the rest of the day. He just had enough for the day.

Louis noticing this, just sighed and straightened in his chair, waiting for Harry to finally forgive him.

Nevertheless, when Louis looked straight ahead into the lobby, he smiled. He couldn’t believe it.

“Oh my fucking god,” Louis said standing up, “YOU TWATS ARE HERE!”

“Looser!” a golden curly haired boy dressed as Robin (like Batman and Robin) yelled back, standing up from the carpet in front of a little kid who was reading, “What are you doing here? It’s been long time since I saw you!!”

“I know, Ashton, don’t cry. I’m finally here,” Louis said smiling, giving Ashton a quick hug.  

“Lou Lou!” a pale girl with pinkish hair, wearing a ballet tutu and a golden crown said, jumping into Louis’ arms and hugging him, Louis spinning her around, “I’ve missed you, dork!” she finally said, giving a little peck into Louis’ cheek.

“Perrie! Oh girl, I’ve missed you too! How are you?” Louis said, putting Perrie down, tired.

“Oh just good, you know? Leading with this little girl right here, trying to corrupt her a little bit,” Perrie said smirking and winking to Louis, who of course, knew what she was talking about. Perrie’s girl was about four, with dark hair and brownish skin, really beautiful, just as Perrie.

“And what the fuck are you doing here, wanker?” a voice behind Louis said, coming from a little lad with brown hair and pink lips, just as stupid-looking as Louis.

“Making your life impossible, Stanley,” Louis said, finally smiling and giving the boy a hug, because it’s been long since last time he saw them.

The gang was together again. Louis couldn’t believe it, he missed those guys, they were his only friends apart from Harry. And he needed friends right now, because Harry was still mad at him.

"Can't believe we are here guys," Perrie said, smiling, almost tearing up tears of happiness. 

“Dance celebration!!!” Ashton yelled and all of the sudden, all four started to jump around in a circle with hands and feet shaking, making funny voices and giggling because god, they were stupid.

Harry eyed Louis weird because, was he actually talking alone? And… dancing? Louis barely dance, he only saw him dance once in his life, when Gemma went to summer camp and both of them, Louis and Harry, were happy to have a free summer alone.

“What are you doing?” Harry eyed Louis weird.

Louis stopped from dancing, almost bumping into Stan when he turned to see Harry, “I’m playing with my friends.”

Harry then, looked around to see the other kids, apparently as equally amazed as Harry was, because all of the imaginary friends were there, somehow, all of them know each other; and they were dancing and shouting and jumping around.

“Here, Ashton!” Stan yelled to him, “Get in my back and let’s destroy things in here, I’m tired of this place!”

Ashton laughed and nodded, jumping into Stan’s back when the door to the office opened.

Everybody but Louis flinched away, because they  _knew_  what was going on.

Louis noticed this, but instead stood there, brave and trying to defy both Gemma and the doctor. They couldn’t against Louis. Louis was so much smarter and creative; Louis knew how to handle adults, he knew their fears and weakness. Of course Louis could against them.

“So let him take these pills, after every meal, no more than three times a day until it’s… done,” the doctor said, giving Gemma a little bottle, apparently filled with pills.

“Are there any side effects?” Gemma asked, worried.

“No, no,” the doctor said, reassuring Gemma, “It just neutralizes that part of the brain which is malfunctioning, just that,” the doctor said finally, crossing his arms in his chest.

Louis turned around to see their friends, to mock the doctor and tell them about Gemma, Harry’s older sister, but when he turned around, all of his friends where piled in the corner, looking scared about something, like if they just saw a ghost or something, still Louis knew a couple of ghosts who were friendly.

Gemma sighed, looking at the pills in her hand and turned around to thank the doctor.

“Harry,” Gemma called entering the lobby, reaching to the chair where Harry was seated, “Let’s go home, little brother. It’s time for you to rest.”

Harry nodded, standing up from the chair with a little smile on his lips because after all, after all the trouble he had caused and mess and chaos and broken plates and broken motorbikes, Gemma was still there.

Gemma and Harry were heading over to the exit, indicating Louis had to say goodbye, “Well then, see you later chickens,” Louis said turning around but everyone shout for Louis.

“No wait, Louis wait!” all of them tried to shout, wanting to warn him.

Louis turned around, worried, “What?”

“Not the pills,” Ashton said, shaking his head with wide eyes and worried look.

“Why not? What do they do? Make you sick? Make you stupid? I’m Louis, I’ll take them, they are nothing against me,” Louis said, proud of himself, snapping his fingers.

“No, you don’t understand mate,” Stan said, worried as well, “You don’t want to let her take the green ones.”

“But why?” Louis asked, getting annoyed.

“Lou…,” Perrie said, with sad eyes and only then Louis got why they were so afraid, why they were warning him, why the green pills were dangerous.

“Don’t…. don’t worry about me, I’m Louis,” Louis said, trying to reassure them, “I’ll be fine.”

Just then, Louis turned and walked away, leaving his friends worried and sad, because they knew what those green pills could cause. They knew how dangerous those pills were for Louis. And thing is, they knew maybe that was the last time they were going to see Louis. 


	5. Chapter 5

There’s a nurse in the corner of the room, watching carefully as Gemma put a plate in Harry’s lap, full of veggies and rice, perfect for a  _sick_  person. Sick? He’s not sick, isn’t he?

“Gemma, I don’t have a cold,” Harry tried to protest, “I don’t need this or the nurse.”

“Well, I don’t care Harry,” Gemma said, not even looking at him, “As long as you’re here, I want you to behave and be healthy, that means, I say the rules under this roof.”

Harry turned his head to see the nurse and tried to smile, but she doesn’t seem very lovely. In fact, she is scary, like she could crack your bones in any minute if she wanted to. She’s big, with red hair and freckles in her face, but even if she looks nice, her looks tell otherwise.

Damn it. She’s right. Harry can’t do anything because Gemma has been really nice to him. Although maybe the nurse is a little too much. It’s not like he’s going to go away or something. He’s not mental either. Besides, Harry is mad at Louis. This is all his fault. He doesn’t even want to see him.

And speaking of the devil…

“A nurse? Really? Oh god…” Louis said getting out of under the bed, peaking at the edge to see Harry, pressed on the headboard.

The bell rang and suddenly, Gemma is flying out the door shouting a  _‘Coming!’_ running to attend the door. Right, again… she’s the owner of the house.

The nurse then approached to the bed, tugging Harry into the covers and arranging his pillows.

“So here’s the deal kid,” the nurse said, “I don’t care if you’re mental or whatever, if you try to do anything stupid, I’ll stop you, even if it takes for me to take you down.”

Louis wrinkled his nose, showing disgust towards the bitter nurse. “She won’t stop us, right Haz?” Louis turned to see Harry but Harry ignored him, looking straight into the wall in front of him.

“I’ll get your pills, don’t move,” the nurse said before she got out of the room.

“Wait, what?” Louis said, suddenly worried at what he just listened, “not the pills.”

Louis started to walk fast inside the room, biting his nails, trying to think. He won’t let Harry take those pills. Those pills are going to… kill him.

“Okay, so it’s decided, we have to get out of the house,” Louis said, taking Harry’s hand from the bed, “Before Gemma and the nurse come back, yeah?”

Downstairs, in the door, Gemma was arguing with Austin. “No way Austin, Harry is sick, you can’t come in.”

“Gemma, I need to see him,” Austin said, almost pleading, trying to explain to Gemma, “I know he’s crazy and—,”

“YEAH!” Gemma said, interrupting him, “He’s crazy, so that’s why he needs to be alone for a while, so please don’t bother just go away,” Gemma said before closing the door right in front of Austin’s nose.

But no, Austin is not giving up so easily.

“C’mon!” Louis said, shaking Harry for him to move, “Snob face, c’mon!!” Louis pleaded one more time shaking Harry to get out of bed but no, Harry didn’t move.

“Look, I need you to believe me in this one curly,” Louis said almost shouting, “They want to kill me, they do! And we need to get out of here fast before they… succeed.”

Still no reaction from Harry. “So you want to be one of them?” Louis asked, “Be a grown up and eat broccoli like  _‘Oh look, broccoli, so tasty’_? That’s beyond disgusting!! M’ telling you!”

Harry looked at Louis for a second, before he turned his gaze to the floor, looking sad.

“Snob face, please…” Louis said now, with low sad voice, sitting in the edge of the bed “C’mon…” Louis said, before sighing and getting closer to Harry, finally passing his arm around Harry’s shoulders, trying to hug him.

Harry tried to get away, to keep distance with Louis, but to be honest he kind of needed that hug. Fighting all the warning in his head to not do it, Harry finally rested his head in Louis shoulder, feeling comfort.

“I know… maybe I’m not the best friend you ever had… but I try,” Louis said, whispering into Harry’s ear. “All this years, all that mattered to me it was you… I couldn’t bear the thought of you being out there in the world without me,” Louis said, voice almost cracking.

Harry turned to see Louis, feeling all of the sudden nostalgic and sad. He remembered how he was punished after doing a mess when he was a kid. He remembered he didn’t like it. Not that anyone on his childhood would like punishments, but to Harry, what they did to him was the worst thing.

✖ _Flashback_ ✖

_“Mom! M’ telling you! He’s ruining my life!!” Gemma yelled before slamming her door._

_Anne, not knowing what to do, turned to look for Harry, and maybe for an explanation, because she didn’t know what could have happened know for Gemma to be like this._

_Looking in all of the house, Anne couldn’t find Harry until she found him right in the laundry room, sat in the floor with Gemma’s new clothes all over it and some other stuff._

_“What in heaven are you doing?” Anne said, sighing and looking at the mess Harry had in the floor._

_“Just wanted to make a pretty costume for Halloween,” Harry answered._

_“A Halloween costume?” Anne asked._

_Before Harry could answer, Anne saw what he was trying to explain. She didn’t see it earlier, but there were some scissors, glue and even glitter around._

_“Is that— is that pieces of clothes… some of them even ripped off?” Anne asked, getting furious._

_Harry nodded, not able to do anything else because lying is not an option. Just then, Gemma appeared in the door frame, peaking over her mom’s shoulder._

_“Why would you do that, Harry?” Anne said, exhausted, picking up the pieces of clothing._

_“Because me and Louis want to have—,”_

_“Oh for the sakes of god, grow up Harry!” Gemma interrupted his little brother, already angry for cutting her new clothes, “Drop Dead Lou is not real, get over it!”_

_“He is real, Gemma!” Harry tried to protest, because he was real, okay? Harry just knew it, “It’s not my fault you hate me as much as the other kids do.”_

_“Because you’re a freak, that’s why! No one would ever love you unless—,”_

_“Drop Dead Louis loves me!”_

_“No he doesn’t!”_

_“Stop it you two!” Anne shouted, ending the discussion between both her children. “Gemma, I know your brother did wrong with your clothes, just,” Anne sighed before continuing, “just go and we’ll buy you some new stuff tomorrow, okay?”_

_Gemma groaned, rolling her eyes and leaving the room, again pissed for her mum not doing anything coherent about Harry’s illness._

_“Now Harry dear, clean up this mess please, before your father arrives from work,” Anne said, before she exited the laundry room._

_Harry inhaled and exhaled some air, feeling tired. How come nobody understood him? He really needed a Halloween costume. Besides, Gemma’s clothes were horrible, according to Louis, so Harry was actually doing her a favor._

_“Hey Lou!” Harry said as he saw his friend appeared right in front of him, sat in the floor with him, legs crossed and everything._

_“You’re completely wrong, you know?” Louis said, being the sassy little prick he was, “I couldn’t ever love you because I don’t love anyone cause love is for girls,” Louis said, making Harry giggle, “And girls are disgusting!” Louis said motioning with his hands a really clear wave of disgust towards girls, gaining from Harry a more audible laugh._

_“You are insane,” Harry said, recovering from the laugh, “Girls are not insane.”_

_“Well, you sister is, and we know all of her friends are too, so you don’t really have a better point than me, huh?” Louis said, snapping his fingers. “Now, let’s stop the chatty and have… a massive glitter fight!”_

_Just then, Louis started throwing glitter to Harry, the little sparkly pieces sticking into Harry’s clothes and hair while Harry tried to grab the glue and throw it towards Louis’ hair._

_Of course the only result of that was Gemma’s clothes being more ruined that they were already._

_Gemma, decided to forgive his brother, came back to the laundry room only to find him messing with her clothes, even more._

_“Are you kidding me?!” Gemma said, yelling and running to get her mom._

_“Oh no, we’re in trouble,” Harry said, stopping from throwing glue and turning to see Louis, “Quick Lou, hide yourself!”_

_Harry then grabbed a little black box with teal lines in the floor, opened it and motioned Louis to get inside, to hide; Louis did as he was told but when Anne arrives, Harry didn’t have time to arrange all the mess._

_“Harry!” Anne scolded him, giving him an angry look and shaking his head, “That’s it, you know the punishment dear, give me the box!”_

_“No mummy, please don’t!” Harry said, with tears already pilling in his eyes, “I’ll behave better, mummy please, I promise!”_

_Anne shook his head and took the box from Harry’s hand, heading now to the living room to get some white tape._

_“Please please mum, I’ll behave!” Harry shouted between sobs, his hot tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn’t like when Louis was away, he needed Louis always._

_“Sorry honey, but you have to learn,” Anne said, with an apologetic face, “When you are bad and mischievous, bad things happen.”_

_The box was saved in Harry’s parent’s room so even if he wanted to look for it and took it, he couldn’t. He also had to clean up the mess and give up to his allowance for Gemma to buy new clothes. When in reality, all he wanted was to have some fun with his only friend._

_Louis was taken away from Harry for a whole week. Harry even write a letter to Louis that said something like: ‘Dear Drop Dead Lou, I miss you but mom take you away and I have to wait. You’re my only friend and I love you. When we have the opportunity, I promise we will run away together.”_

✖✖

“You’re right,” Harry said in a low voice, “I remember every time you were gone, all the joy… happiness… all the—,”

“Louis?” Louis interrupted.

“Yeah! All the Louis, it went out of me,” Harry said smiling and little happy tears rolling down his cheeks, “I didn’t know how much my sister could hurt me, how much people who doesn’t understand could hurt me.”

You see, the thing is, Louis didn’t like seeing Harry hurt. He obviously hated Gemma for doing this to Harry. Because even is Louis was possessive and bitchy and mischievous all the time, he cared for Harry above all things. He only wanted to see Harry happy. Even if it meant for Harry to be with another man who didn’t care about him. Even if Louis could treat him better. Even if Louis… kind of love him.

And that’s the problem right there. Because sometimes you do things for love. Silly things, that at the end of the day may cause something bad for you, but you still do them for the one person you care the most and you love.

And no, if they asked Louis, he would never admit he had feelings for Harry. Because 1) Harry was still married, 2) Harry was still in love with Nick and 3) Louis was only an  _imaginary_  friend, right?

Right?

Feeling a jolt in his heart, Louis snapped out of his thoughts and leaned closer to Harry, “So? What’s the plan?” Louis asked.

“What plan?” Harry asked.

“Are we running away or…?” Louis said with a smirk in his face.

Right! “Where to?” Harry answered cheekily.

“To the party you twat!” Louis said, shaking Harry by grabbing him by his shoulders, “To Nick’s party dummy!”

“Yeah,” Harry said whispering.

“Yeah?”

“YEAH.”

“YEAH!!!!”

Both of them stood up from the bed, grabbing everything necessary for the party. They need some master plan to escape Gemma and the bitter nurse.

Louis peaked over the stairs, to see if anyone was coming down, but apparently no one was insight, so they decided to continue walking downstairs.

“Let’s go,” Louis whispered, waving his hand to Harry.

But— yeah.

“Where do you think you are going?” Gemma asked, coming from the kitchen, maybe a little bit annoyed. Maybe.

“I’m— I’m going,” Harry tried to use all his confidence to answer.

“No, you’re not!” Gemma said.

“Sorry Gemma, this time I’m definitely going,” Harry said, decided to go and leave the house but the nurse appeared in front of him, blocking him to pass.

The nurse took Harry’s arm, with a little too force, guiding him back in his room, this time, making sure to lock the door before leaving him in there.

“Good night snowflake,” she said with sarcasm before she left.

“Well, yeah I’m not scared of you, monster!” Louis said, yelling to the door.

Harry shook his head, with a light smile on his lips.

“C’mon, we’re going through the window,” Louis said, jumping in the bed to get to the window.

“Stand back, I’m really good at this,” Louis said, kneeling in front of the window and trying to smash the glass with his head, with no results whatsoever but a headache in his head.

“Wait, I know how,” Harry said, his head finally giving him an idea. He took his old phone, connected to the wall, and throw it away to the window, smashing it in various pieces, having to smash the phone over and over again several more times before all the window was gone.

“I love these breaking noises,” Harry said smiling and winking to Louis in the floor, “Let’s go!”

They were on the second floor, so the only way to get down, was to jump into a large branch of the nearest tree to climb down from it. Okay, Harry could do it. Maybe it had been like ten years since he last climb a tree, but how difficult could it be?

Just then, Harry saw Austin climbing the tree by himself, with a bad in his hand, decided to reach the top.

“Austin,” Harry said more to himself, shocked, “What are you doing here?”

“Door to window service!” Austin laughed at himself for the terrible joke, “I brought you the thing you bought last time, the ones you forgot in the restaurant.”

“Thank you so so much!” Harry said, smiling to Austin, “Do you think you can give me a lift?”

“Of course, yeah just— tell me where to,” Austin said politely.

“Heyyyyy,” Louis yelled from the window, stuck with his leg still inside, “Wait for me you two twats!”

Now in Austin’s car, Harry was already doing his hair, because damn it, those curls where hard to handle.

“Thanks for doing this Austin,” Harry said, looking at himself in the mirror, “Hope I didn’t cause you trouble that day in the restaurant.”

“No way, don’t worry!” Austin said, giving a peek to see Harry, because to be honest, he looked handsome with his hair that way.

“Ughhh,” Louis groaned from the back, throwing his head backwards, “He’s so soppy!”

“You ummm— you’re gonna look really good tonight in your outfit,” Austin said, a bit nervous, “Hope Nick appreciates it.”

“Oh god, this is just great,” Louis said, rolling his eyes, “M’ in a car with two girls.”

After seven minutes of traffic, they finally arrived to Nick’s party.

“Austin, thank you so so much for this,” Harry said smiling to him and giving him a quick hug, “M’ gonna pay you for this some day!”

“Yeah don’t worry, just— enjoy,” Austin said with a light smile in his lips, while Harry got out of the car, hurrying inside to change his clothes.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry looked at himself in the mirror before he turned back for Louis to saw him.

“Damn boy,” Louis said, “You look  _HOT_!”

Harry chuckled and lowered his gaze, his cheeks turning a little shade of pink.

“Do you really think Nick would like this?” Harry asked, doubtful.

Harry was wearing a neat black suit, with a light grey, almost white, shirt underneath it, with a silver tie. His hair was styled in a quiff, not too big with an actual style and looking rather posh, a little bit to the side. With shiny black shoes and smelling minty and fresh, Harry could have any man in that party if he wanted to. Not to mention his eyes were sparkling and his thin pumped lips were rosy, bringing up crazy ideas to Louis’ mind.

“Who wouldn’t? Harry,” Louis said, almost scolding him, “I think you’re one of the most handsome lads in the world,” Louis said, avoiding the little shake in his voice, “And I’m not even counting myself in this one, I’m serious. You’re stunning tonight.”

Harry smiles once more time, before he turned to head out of the bathroom, down to the party.

Louis followed him close, he didn’t want Harry to go all by himself. Besides, Louis was wearing a suit too, maybe a little bit less formal than Harry, because of course Louis was wearing black vans and of course, he rolled the end of his skinny black jeans a bit up so his ankles could be seen. Typical Louis.

They arrived the reception, a big room ahead of them, with low lights hanging from the roof, making the environment more intimate, more surreal.

Louis had his hand in the low part of Harry’s back, being all protective and caring. It took Harry a bit to adjust to the mood the party had, because apparently it was a themed party. Not that everyone was in costumes or stuff, but the decorations and waiters had some sort theme, like a Spartan party, like from the ancient Greece, maybe because it was a party about  _wine_ and Harry was sure there was a god in mythology in charge of wine.

Louis saw Harry was nervous, of course he was. He couldn’t even tell when Harry decided to take his hand and squeeze it so much, making Louis’ hand actually hurt. Didn't matter, Louis liked the feel of Harry's hand in his. 

Louis turned to Harry, with soft eyes squeezing his hand back, “Everything is going to be alright, don’t worry.”

“Yeah, it’s just,” Harry sighed, “I’m nervous.”

Louis nodded, understanding Harry but just then, Louis thought it was a good idea to tell  _everything_  to Harry.

“Harry, I— I want to talk to you, like umm— about something, like important,” Louis said, choking on his own words and looking at the floor.

“What’s wrong Lou?” Harry said.

And oh god, why did Harry had to sound so soft and sexy when he called him Lou? Louis was actually more nervous now, his heart racing, and he was sure his heart skipped some beats.

“It’s just that— I’ve been feeling this for like—,”

“Look Louis!” Harry said, interrupting him, “It’s Nick!”

Louis then turned to see in the direction Harry was pointing, the person Harry was watching. Oh god, was that actually Nick? He didn’t looked like the big deal. Yeah, maybe he had style and fashion sense, but oh no, he was not handsome nor sexy. Louis was better than him, you could tell. Louis had better body and better face, because let’s be honest, Louis was beautiful, and not to mention, nothing could be compared to Louis’ ass.

So really, Louis didn’t get why Harry was so nuts about Nick. He didn’t see anything special, so he ignored him, returning to see Harry, trying to finish what he just started saying.

“So like I was saying, there’s this thing, like— something I wanted to tell you, more like to— confess, maybe? I don’t know Harry, it’s just ridiculous and—,”

“Damn it, Louis!” Harry interrupted again, hitting him on his arm, “I lost Nick, we have to find him, yeah? Please help me,” Harry said with pleading eyes. And yeah okay, anything for Harry.

They started to walk in the same direction, turning their heads around, “Louis, please, please behave, I don’t want any chaos tonight,” Harry said, taking a little biscuit from a waiter wearing a white robe, like a proper Spartan.

“Yeah, okay I can do that, Harold,” Louis said, waving off his hand, “Jeez, relax.” Louis grabbed a biscuit too, grabbing something else too. Maybe something that hold that robe together.

Suddenly, Harry heard laughs and exclamations around the room, and a waiter almost naked running out of the room, towards the bathrooms.

“Louis!” Harry scolded him, giving him an angry look.

“What? It wasn’t me,” Louis said, a hidden smirk in his face, “Why do I always get the blame?”

Harry groaned and rolled his eyes, “Just, let’s look for Nick, yeah?”

They went different ways, because the room was so big and full of people, all of them looking the same, like flat faceless corporation people and really, Louis was having trouble finding this Nick lad.

Until, —oh well, well, look what we found,— Louis crossed with a guy, blonde hair, skin tanned, looking fit and hot, his dark blue suit fitting him just right, one hand with a glass of scotch and the other hand in one of his pockets, standing like a super model and wow, look at that ass.

Louis loved watching things. He was a master appreciating things. He could be really good at writing and describing stuff if he really wanted. The thing is, he didn’t, he was too lazy to even pick up a pencil. But damn, he couldn’t denied himself the pleasure of enjoying the views when they were this good.

He got closer to the boy, inspecting him, just a few inches between their faces; obviously, Louis not caring about stuff, because he wasn’t real, right? There’s no way this lad could see him, and besides, what if he could? No one knew him here, so fuck everything.

Just then, Harry turned around to look for Louis, finding him very close to another man. And Harry didn’t even know what he’s feeling inside him, maybe it’s just anger, right? Louis promised to behave and he was still doing things like these. Dam it Louis, you can’t look so close to another man…  _only me._

No, it couldn’t be. Jealousy? Nah. No way. Harry shook the thoughts of it out of his mind before he approached Louis and the guy, because apparently Louis was now sat in the floor looking at the bum of the guy from behind, like he was some kind of new discovered star in a dark night.

“Louis,” Harry whispered from a few meters away, “Louis, come here, don’t be a creep.”

Louis ignored him. Maybe because he was still a bit wounded about the fact that Harry didn’t want to listen to him. Maybe because the guy’s ass was actually good. He didn’t cared.

 Harry got closer, bending over to whisper into Louis ear, “Louis, m’ telling you, get up, now!”

Suddenly, the guy turned around to see Harry bended over, maybe at the same high his ass was and yeah, the guy was creeping out.

“Umm, sorry I just— I was just admiring the fabric,” Harry said, “The material, really fancy, is it silk?”

The guy lightly smiled, shaking his head, “Of course not, but it feels like, doesn’t it?”

Harry nodded, playing along with this guy, all because Louis’ fault when,

“Andrew! Andrew dear, I’ve been looking for you—,”

“Nick?”

“Harry?”

“Holy fuck,” Louis said.

“My god,” Nick said, with wide big eyes, looking up and down Harry.

Louis rolled his eyes annoyed, because of course now he wanted Harry, of course he did. Harry was looking good.

Louis turned to see Harry, only to find him shocked, watching at the guy, apparently Andrew in front of him, and oh— now Louis got it. It was that Andrew. Andrew like the one Nick cheated Harry with.

Louis then figured, Harry needed him. “Go on, do something snob face,” Louis said.

Harry didn’t move, still froze, so Louis had to push Harry a little bit (maybe a little too much) but that only made him bump into this Andrew guy and make his glass of scotch to fell out of his hands and smash in the floor.

“M’ sorry I— sorry I have to go,” Harry said, with a pale face, all the blood drained from him.

“Curly! Curly wait up,” Louis said, following Harry fast, “Harry!”

“Are you okay?” Nick turned to Andrew, kissing him quick in his lips.

“Yeah, fine babe,” Andrew said, in a seductive voice, almost purring beside him.

“Yeah, okay,” Nick said, hugging him and sticking his hands inside of Andrew’s coat, looking how Harry was running away.

**✖✖**

“Harry please,” Louis said, pleading against the door, “Get out of the room, let’s talk about it.”

They were in Harry’s apartment. Louis was in the main hall and Harry was in his room, locked up sobbing. “Go away,” Harry shouted back, sobbing, “I feel so stupid.”

“Please,” Louis pleaded once more time, “I need you here.”

He heard the door knob turned and the door slowly opening, with a puffy-eyed Harry behind it.

“Why do you need me here?” Harry asked, defensive, “Are you making fun of me?”

“Of course not, curly,” Louis said, taking Harry’s arms, to get them uncrossed from his chest, “I just— ugh,” Louis sighed, still holding Harry’s hands, taking up courage, “You remember what I wanted to tell you?”

“Oh yeah yeah,” Harry said, not entirely remembering.

“Well, the thing is… helping you with this Nick thing and everything, made me realize that—,”  _Ugh, come on Louis, be brave_ , “I mean, I’m not sure, yeah?— it’s just something I think I know, or feel, but like—,”

“Louis, you are talking in circles,” Harry said, softly giggling, “Get to the point.”

“Right,” although Harry didn’t help giggling.

“Look, what I want to say is that, maybe I care for you, okay? And not like a friend would do. I care more than that. And not like a brother would, either. Ew no, imagine that,” Louis said, rolling his eyes, talking really fast, “What I was trying to say, is that you brought me back to life when you came back, and clearly I brought you too when I came back, and I didn’t remember how great team we were and the fun we had and maybe, things are a little too different now, because obviously it’s been 20 years and you are older now and, wow you know, you’re like… all grown up, but don’t get me wrong, like in a good way, yeah?”

Harry nodded, still not sure of what Louis was saying.

“And okay, yeah so maybe I got a little jealous back at the party, watching you fall for Nick and I really don’t know what you see in him but clearly he doesn’t deserve you and maybe someone else deserves you, I don’t know, maybe someone like me or—,”

“What are you even trying to say?” Harry asked confused.

Louis not able to handle it anymore, just threw himself over Harry, pressing his lips against his, trying to move them, pushing harder, or something, he just  _really_  wanted to feel Harry and well, maybe Harry wanted to feel Louis too, even though he knew he was crazy because Louis was not real right? Right? Oh god, Harry was nuts, but the strong temptation to kiss Louis won over the logics so, there you have it.

Louis was on fire inside of him and he wanted more, so he passed his tongue over Harry’s bottom lip but Harry wasn’t just ready for that, so instead, Harry grabbed Louis’ waist and brought him closer to him, Harry’s back hitting the wall and Louis putting his right hand on Harry’s neck, the other one on Harry’s chest and Louis could literally taste the mint in Harry’s mouth and in the other hand, Harry could literally taste Louis’ mouth, sweet and fresh, like blueberry candy, Louis’ favorite and yeah.

Without noticing, Louis was pressing his crotch against Harry’s because he needed to feel things, okay? And he was just  _Louis_  and even though it felt wrong, he  _needed_  Harry. But to Harry that was too much. Still he didn’t know if too much was good or bad.

Just then, the floor of the apartment flew open and both of them separated, shocked by the sudden noise of the door bumping into the wall.

Nick was standing on the door frame, oblivious of what just happened on the hall.

“Nick,” Harry said in a low whisper.

“Just, can I say something?” Nick said, putting his hand up, stopping Harry from talking.

“What?” Harry asked softly.

“You looked fabulous,” Nick said, panting.

“I did?”

“Yes babe,” Nick said, getting closer to Harry, “It’s clear you need me.”

“What the—,”

Louis was interrupted, “I do?” Harry asked.

“Yeah,” Nick said, finally closer enough to grab Harry by his shoulders, “To protect you.”

“From… what?” Harry asked.

Louis rolled his eyes. Of course he wanted to say something. He wanted to stop this madness. To tell Harry that he was the one for him. They just shared a kiss, for fucksakes. They needed each other. He could offer Harry protection too. He could offer Harry to never cheat on him. Although that would be almost sure to happen because  _he was just a piece of Harry’s imagination._

“From men,” Nick said, instantly carrying Harry bridal style, “Men like me.”

And holy fuck. “Argh, come on, Harry,” Louis pleaded. This was just getting too cheesy.

“Nick, I just need to—,”

“No, no, no, no Harry,” Nick said, putting his index finger over Harry’s lip, “Let’s save that for later,” Nick said, winking.

They headed towards the room, Louis froze in his place, not able to process what he was seeing. Harry was kissing Nick.  Not too long ago, he was kissing Harry. And maybe Nick was real; but he had feelings too.

“Harold…” Louis whispered before Nick closed the door with his foot.

Nick and Harry then lied on the bed, both of them kissing and touching and giggling and although Harry was hearing constant pleads from Louis outside, he tried to ignore it, because in some way, this felt better. Okay, not better. But more normal.

After a few seconds, Nick and Harry started to hear sounds of a door trying to be opened. Trying with keys and tools, Harry got pissed because,  _Can Louis just wait for a second?_

“You hear that?” Nick asked.

“It’s just Louis, don’t worry—,”Harry said, interrupted by Nick.

“Louis?”

“Yeah, he got mad or something just let him—,”

“No, no, wait here,” Nick said, “I’ll handle this Louis man.”

“Wait, Nick—,”

“Shhh, Harry,” Nick said, whispering, “I got this covered.”

Nick got out of the room, apparently someone was trying to break into their flat. So Nick got in his hands what he saw closer, a vase, and took it in his hands, to defend himself. Nick heard a voice outside and he was prepared to attack the intruder.

“Who does this Louis think he is?” Nick said, “Getting involved with a married man.”

And yeah, Nick said that.

Just then, the door opened, some shadows getting closer to where Nick was standing, and just when Nick thought it would be safe to attack, he broke the vase in someone’s head— like the nurse’s head. The one Gemma got for Harry.

Just then, Gemma turned on the lights, hands in her mouth, seeing the nurse in the floor.

“Oh hey Gemma,” Nick said, trying to cover up the fact that he just knocked down the poor nurse. Well, not that Harry didn’t like it.

**✖✖**

“Nick,” Gemma said, still unsure, “Are you sure you can handle Harry? I mean, I just explained it to you but—,”

“No Gems, I’m sure,” Nick said, guiding her to the door, “Trust me, I will handle it just fine.”

“Well, just in case,” Gemma said, taking out of her bag the bottle of green pills and handing them to Nick, “Make him take these, whenever he’s… bad, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah don’t worry,” Nick said, before saying goodbye to Gemma and closing door, returning to the living room with Harry.

Nick left the pills on the coffee table, just to lift Harry up from the couch, “Now, where were we?” Nick said smiling.

“Harry, please, just— listen to me,” Louis said, behind Harry trying to stop this.

“Shut up,” Harry said, hitting Louis in the ribs with his elbow.

“Shut up?” Nick said, questioning Harry.

“I mean that for Louis,” Harry said, looking at the floor.

“Oh right, Louis,” Nick said, understanding.

Nick tried to ignore this Louis, kissing again Harry, taking him to the couch and lying, both of them, Nick on top, kissing and touching and well, a full session of snogging. Louis didn’t like what he saw, oh hell no. It was hurting him. He could practically hear his little weird heart crushing into pieces, slowly, then all at once.

“Jeez, Nick,” Harry panted out, getting excited because he missed this, like, the real touching and kissing and interaction, not just some stuff from his head.

“Oh Andrew…” Nick said, before they three snapped out. WHAT?

“What?!” Harry said, interrupting the kissing.

“WHAT?! He said Andrew?!” Louis said, almost catching a glimpse of hope.

“What?” Nick asked, trying to avoid it, of course he knew what he just said, “What’s the matter?”

“You just said Andrew,” Harry said, furrowing his eyebrows, “Like, instead of my name.”

“No I didn’t,” Nick said calmly.

“OH HELL HE DID, WE BOTH LISTENED TO HIM!” Louis tried to dispute, sure of what he just heard.

Harry turned to see Louis just then, nodding, “Yes you did, I heard you— like clear and sound, Andrew and—,”

“No Harry, that’s impossible,” Nick said.

“Oh for fuck sakes, Harry you heard him!” Louis said.

“I’m sure I heard you Nick,” Harry said, almost getting up from the couch.

“Listen, Harry,” Nick said, pulling down Harry from his shoulders, “Let’s pretend I said Andrew; wouldn’t it be much better to say ‘Oh Andrew’ here with you, than to say ‘Oh Harry’ with Andrew?”

Say what? That Nick lad was nuts. “What?! Are you actually believing him?” Louis said.

“I guess… I guess you’re right, yeah,” Harry said, blindfolded by Nick’s charm and stuff.

“Harry, please just listen,” Louis said with sad eyes, because what he was watching, hurt him, “What happened like, just minutes ago, it’s real Harry, I mean— I care for you Harry, I lo—,”

“Will you please shut it?” Harry was nervous, desperate, he didn’t like being in this mess. Of course he felt something for Louis, but he didn’t exactly knew what is was, but with Nick, he knew what he felt (or at least that what he thought) because he had lived this before, he  _knew_  Nick.

Besides, the thing with Louis… it wasn’t real, was it? It was all his head. He couldn’t date his head. Or could he?

“Shut it?” Nick asked again, getting worried, returning from the kitchen with a glass of water, “You know what, sweetheart, it would be better for you to start getting this pills.”

Nick grabbed the bottle and shook it, taking a pill out of it, just one. He placed it in Harry’s mouth, before kissing him, because Nick wanted Harry to take them. Nick wanted this bullshit of Louis to be over.

“What?!” Louis said, “No please Harry spit it out!!!”

Harry separated from Nick, and Louis was relieved thinking maybe Harry was actually going to spit it out, but to his surprise, Harry only wanted some water to pass the pill. Yeah, Harry was getting a little tired of this.

“You know what? I don’t care,” Louis said, the tiny piece of confidence inside of him speaking up, “If you think your stupid husband can get rid of me,” Louis said, walking around the room while Nick and Harry kept kissing, “Like one of those pills will actually do anything—,”

Just then, Louis felt it. He felt his insides hurting, like if some part of him was disappearing. Like if… the pills were actually working.  _Oh god, this is bad._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more chapter to go ):

It’s 9AM in the morning and Harry is making breakfast for Nick. Pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee, eggs and there’s even some flowers in a vase in the middle of the table.

“Nick,” Harry shouted with soft tone, trying to catch the attention of his lover, “Breakfast is ready!”

Nick arrived then, fixing his tie over his white shirt, ready to go to work, not really paying attention to Harry but to the food there, “Thank god, I’m so hungry,” Nick said, sitting on one of the chairs of the table.

Harry then placed a plate in front of Nick with a couple of pancakes and then tried to place himself behind Nick, trying to hug Nick from behind and maybe giving him a little peck on his cheek.

“Babe, no just— please,” Nick said, taking Harry’s arms away from his neck, “I’m trying to eat, and I’m running late.”

Harry nodded, only getting a bit disappointed at it, leaving Nick eat alone then, going to the sink to wash some dishes.

“Harry,” Louis whispered from behind, his face more pale than normal and his eyes looking puffy, “M’ not feeling good Haz, please I just need you, I need—,”

“Oh Harry,” Nick said, turning to see the young lad, “Don’t forget to take your pills.”

Harry turned to see Louis, and really, he didn’t want to make his friend bad, he knew the pills had them all sick, but he was only doing this because it’s for Nick, right and he knew Louis had to go, Louis only caused problems. And not to mention Harry also wanted this strange feeling go away, that feeling that caused him spend time with Louis and maybe, just  _maybe_  feel his lips again. So yeah, Harry took one more pill.

“Oh god Harry please no,” Louis said before the pain arrived, making Louis bend over himself, holding his little tummy, trying not to show the physical pain he was having.

“I don’t like you,” Louis said, turning to see Nick there in the table, eating careless and reading the newspaper.

Days passed and every day, Nick reminded Harry to take his pills, slowly emptying the bottle. And really, Harry was trying to slow down the process, because he didn’t want Louis just gone. He wanted to just stop taking the pills and let Louis live; but of course, that meant Louis staying with him and Nick and well, you know how Louis could be and all the bad stuff so, no, that wasn’t an option.

Nick was shaving himself in the bathroom, being very carefully and neat in the progress, just when Harry arrived, trying to take the razor himself to do it for Nick, but Nick didn’t let him, “No babe, no” Nick said just a little pissed, “I need to do this right, I have a meeting,” and yeah, Harry understood.

Louis appeared behind Harry, this time almost blank, transparent and all the warmth and joyness that used to irradiate from Louis, was gone. Now Louis was effortlessly trying to bring back his cheer, with no results.

“Go on, cut his throat,” Louis said to Harry, pointing at Nick’s neck.

“Ugh, stop it,” Harry said, only half grinning.

“What?” Nick asked, confused, “Is it that Drop Dead Lou again?” Nick said, almost shaming on Harry.

Harry nodded grieved, “Take the pills dear, take them,” Nick said before washing his face.

**✖✖**

“Liam, come on, sit and tell me what’s the big news,” Harry said, taking a sit in Liam’s living room, grabbing the cup of tea in front of him and sipping before Liam came back.

“Oh god, Harry,” Liam said, excited, sitting across the curly lad, “I’m so excited!”

“Then tell me. What’s up?” Harry said.

“Well, the thing is, Zayn and I are adopting a child!” Liam said, giving a little jump in his place.

“What? Are you serious?” Harry asked.

“Yes, oh yes!” Liam said, with a big smile on his face, “Zayn proposed it that day when you crash the motorbike. When he came back home, he saw that I was upset and he just, like proposed it. I mean, we had been thinking about it for a while, but I guess that was just the right day.”

Harry nodded and smiled for his friends, because finally, after three years of marriage, they were adopting. He remembered Liam talking about it with him and how both of them dreamt of adopting and becoming parents. Of course, Harry knew Nick didn’t wanted kids. At least not now. That’s what he said.

“M’ so happy for you mate, for real,” Harry said, standing up and giving Liam a hug, “I’m gonna be a uncle now, right?”

“Oh course Haz,” Liam said, “The first thing Zayn told me was how happy you were going to be to be an uncle and how you were going to claim to be the godfather.”

“I guess Zayn knows what I want,” Harry said chuckling along with Liam, both of them happy.

“We are expecting to receive the kid maybe in two weeks, depending on how many work the foster care house has but I seriously couldn’t be more happy,” Liam said.

“Well, I couldn’t be happier neither,” Harry said standing up, “But I have to go, I have to prepare dinner for Nick.”

“Oh, special occasion?” Liam said smirking.

“No, not really,” Harry said, grinning, “Just wanted to do something cute.”

“Oh okay then, have fun,” Liam said, leading Harry to the door, “And wait for my call to meet your nephew when he’s home!”

“Of course, Li,” Harry said, hugging the lad one last time, “I’m so happy for you both, seriously.”

**✖✖**

Louis was lying on the couch of the living room, with his puffy eyes trying to be opened and his face pale, feeling sick and not wanting to move. The last couple of days, Louis was feeling terrible, not being able to stand up from the floor or couch, vomiting and with headaches, fainting sometimes or just lying there, slowly dying and that was because Harry was just missing a pill, a single pill.

After that pill, then that was it. Louis would be gone. And he wasn’t even angry with Harry, he knew Harry was just doing what he thought would be the best. But Louis knew something was not right. If Harry was finally  _happy_  and he didn’t need Louis anymore, then why was Louis still here? Why he couldn’t get back home?

Louis knew the answer. Everybody that saw Harry’s life could see the answer. Except Harry.

“What’s for dinner?” Nick asked, sitting in the table, already set to eat.

“Your favorite, roasted chicken with potatoes aside,” Harry said, smiling gently to Nick, setting up the table.

When Harry finally ended, he sat down next to Nick, the food already in the table and Nick impatient to eat. Nick then served in two glasses a bit of red wine, giving one to Harry and keeping one to himself.

Nick was ready to drink from the glass when Harry said, “Let’s cheer, for us,” approaching his glass near Nick’s and Nick had to hit lightly his glass with Harry’s, before finally drinking up a bit of wine.

To be honest, Harry didn’t like the taste of wine. But Nick liked it, so they drank it almost every day when they had dinner.

“For you, my love,” Harry said, leaving the glass in the table and finally opening the pan in the table, supposedly revealing the roasted chicken but instead revealed a lot of mud, hot and thick exploiting in Nick’s pants.

“What the hell is that?!” Nick exclaimed, getting up from the chair.

“Uhmmm, mud pie?” Harry said, not sure what to say.

“Is this some kind of joke? Am I supposed to laugh?!” Nick said, hurrying to take a towel to clean up the mess in his pants.

“LOUIS!” Harry yelled back, trying to make sense of all the stuff happening.

Of course, if Louis was going to leave, then he would leave with class. After all, he puts the  _ass_  in class.

“That’s it Harry, is either him or me, you have to decide,” Nick said angry.

“It’s you Nick, it’s you I just— he’s gone,” Harry said, trying to calm down Nick, “I’ll make dinner, yeah? Dinner salad,” Harry said, trying to calm himself as well, because he was just about to lose it.

“Forget it,” Nick said.

“Please, a lovely salad.”

“Harry!”

“Please?!”

“Okay then,” Nick said, sighing, “I’ll just go and change.”

“Leave the pants on the chair near the window, I’ll take it to the laundry tomorrow,” Harry yelled back from the kitchen.

“Yeah sure,” Nick responded still angry.

“Honey,” Harry said, stopping and leaning over the counter, “I’ll promise you’re never gonna hear from Louis again!”

Nick slammed the door of their bedroom closed and Harry started to chopped veggies, nuts and fruit.

Louis appeared behind Harry, whispering in his ear, “You know he’s not the right man for you.”

“Will you please shut up,” Harry said with a death glare, “I don’t even want to talk to you right now!”

“You’re not happy snob face,” Louis said, not caring if Harry didn’t wanted to see it, he at least had to try to explain it to him.

“Yes I am,” Harry said to himself.

“If you’re happy, then why am I still here?” Louis asked, looking for support with his hands on the table, not even able to stand straight by himself anymore.

“Well, you know what? I can fix that!” Harry said, turning and looking for the bottle of pills.

“Please, oh please don’t do that Harry,” Louis said now, trying not to show his broken voice, “Harry it hurts— it hurts me the fact that you don’t want to see it and the fact that I’m dying.”

Harry ignored Louis, still with the bottle of pills on his hand, “Then show me, why should I listen to you? Why?” Harry asked, demanding, “All my life I’ve been listening to you and all that ever caused to me was trouble!”

Louis stepped from the table and walked to the door of their room, “Well, then why don’t you listen now to Nick, huh? Just listen!”

Harry, doubtful, approached to the door quietly and slowly, not knowing what to expect or what Louis was talking about.

Louis stepped aside, lying in the floor, the pain inside of him growing bigger and bigger. Harry, put his ear near to the door, trying to listen through it, listening carefully what he had to hear.

“Darling,” Nick said chuckling, “Of course I still love you, Andrew. No— he should never know! Listen Andrew, I am in control of Harry— yes, yes he would do whatever I said… he trusts me.”

Harry turned now to see where Louis was lying, not able to process anything, “You need to leave him,” Louis whispered from the floor, “You deserve better.”

“I don’t feel good,” Harry said, throwing far away the bottle of pills in his hand to the floor, with his tears threatening to appear in any moment.

“Leave him Haz.”

“I can’t— I’m scared to be alone,” Harry said, starting to sob.

“Come with me Haz,” Louis said, opening his arms, still lying in the floor, “Come.”

Harry knelt down first, next to Louis, then he let himself lied down besides his friend, Louis tugging him closer with his arms around him, smiling because Harry finally discovered the truth. Louis kissed Harry’s forehead while Harry sobbed, his consciousness starting to fade away.

“Everything will be alright, love.”

**✖✖**

_“Louis?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“Where are we going?”_

_“Somewhere cool, a place where you need to go.”_

_“Louis…”_

_“You’ll know what to do, Haz.”_

_“Louis…”_

Harry was standing in front of a house that look a lot like his. Except this house was alone into the dark nothingness. He opened the door and entered the house, leaving open the door behind him.

His house was dark, empty and cold. The small details were bigger and the big ones were littler. This kind of looked like a Dr. Seuss world, but everything felt real for Harry.

“I’m scared,” Harry said to himself, “I don’t want to be alone in here.”

Harry walked deeper into the house, noticing how the living room was now bigger, and showed all the features of the room like in a museum, with hurdles protecting the things and lights from above only focusing on the things. No more light.

Harry turned now to see the other side, the dining room. It was dark and the only thing Harry could see was the showcase where all the silverware and tableware was kept.

Suddenly, Harry heard a noise coming from the living room; when he turned to see what it was, it was just a little white toy car, running by itself. When the little car disappeared into the hall, a big real size car appeared from there, with Nick driving it. It was a 1953 white Chevrolet Classic C1, with a little statue of the brand of the car in front of it, on the hood of the car .

“Get in Harry,” Nick said, stopping in front of Harry, “I want to take you back.”

Harry stared, just shaking his head lightly. No, he didn’t want to go back.

“Don’t you love me anymore?” Nick asked.

Just then, Louis came running into the house, closing the door behind him. He saw Harry standing there, besides Nick’s car and gave him a small smile, showing a now much more cured Louis.

“Louis,” Harry said in a low voice, walking towards him, not wanting to be alone. Louis received Harry with opened arms, wrapping the lad with a tight hug.

Louis pulled apart from the hug, just to see Harry in the eyes, “So, what are you going to do to him?”

Harry turned to see him, like not being able to understand, “What?”

“To Nick,” Louis said, “What are you going to do to him?”

Harry then turned back to see Nick, still waiting in the car with a fake stupid smirk on his face, waiting for Harry. Harry approached the car then, seeing the little statue in front of it, took it and broke it away from the car; the car started to deflate like a balloon, making himself tinier and tinier until it flew away into one of the dark corners.

Louis laughed, covering his mouth with one of his hands and wrinkling his eyes, “Nice job curly, couldn’t do it better myself.”

Harry smiled then, proud of himself. He liked the way Louis seem much better now. More alive. He liked the sound of Louis’ laughter and the way his eyes went little when he smiled that much.

Louis took Harry’s hand and walked him to the stairs.

“Now, he have to go upstairs,” Louis said.

“But those aren’t stairs Lou,” Harry noticed, “Those are fake wallpaper stairs.”

“Well, we got to find a way to get up there,” Louis said, before turning to see Harry, “Or you know, you could create a tree.”

“What?” Harry said in disbelief, “Create a tree?”

“Yeah you know, since we are in your imagination.”

“We are?” Harry asked again, in disbelief.

“Yeah!” Louis exclaimed, “Try it snob face!”

Harry closed his eyes and put both his hands on his temples, trying to concentrate and create a tree.

In front of them, a tree started to emerge from the ground, making Louis grin like a mad man, because Harry was still able to do it, even after so many years, Harry could still imagine fun things.

“Did it work?” Harry said, still with his eyes closed.

“Of course it worked, you twat,” Louis said, jerking away Harry’s hands from his temples and took them to run over the tree.

They both then started to climb the tree, taking branches and jumping one over another until they were close enough to the hall upstairs to get off the tree, standing in solid ground.

Harry noticed the hall only led to his room, so they walked, hand in hand, together until they were a few inches away from his room’s door.

All of the sudden, the door flew open and a robotic version of Gemma was standing in the door, with cross arms and furrowed eyebrows.

“Where do you think you are going?” Gemma yelled to them.

“Just forget about her,” Louis said with confidence in his voice, “Say the magic words and she’ll be gone.”

Harry nodded lightly, before turning to see Gemma, “I’m not afraid of you, not anymore,” Harry said shyly.

“You can’t go in there,” Gemma said sharply.

“I’m not afraid of you!” Harry yelled back, now brave and confident about himself.

The robotic version of Gemma then exploded in front of them and all the pieces disappeared, leaving Louis and Harry free to enter the room.

Louis pushed Harry to go in, him after Harry.

Harry stood in the door, looking at the bed inside of the room. There, lying in the bed, taped with the same white tape Louis’ box was closed, was his younger self, the version of him that got lost in the way to become an adult. The version of him that he missed. The version of him that still dream and hope and believe.

Harry ran to the bed, and started to cut the tape, trying to release his younger self. Louis looked from afar, leaning on the doorframe, with a big smile on his face and his eyes sparkly because he was able to save Harry. It didn’t matter the fact that Louis was now going home, he was in peace and he could save his dearest Harry.

“You don’t have to be afraid anymore,” Harry said to his younger self, smiling.

Finally, after ripping all the tape off, little Harry jumped off the bed and hugged Harry, thanking him for keeping the little magic and faith in him.

“I’ll always remember you,” Harry said, voice almost breaking, “I’ll always remember us.”

Louis got near to the bed, sitting beside Harry, “You have to go now.”

Harry turned to see Louis, and just then, little Harry disappear from the room, only the warmth on the bed staying behind.

Harry turned to look for him, but he knew he was now gone. Somewhere safer. Somewhere were little Harry was never going to be threaten anymore.

Harry smiled to himself, putting his right hand over his chest, “Okay, I’m ready,” Harry said, standing from the bed, “Let’s go.”

“No,” Louis said, standing from the bed as well, “You have to come back alone.”

“But—,” Harry said, face turning pale, “I want you to come back with me.”

“It’s just tough now,” Louis said, with a soft smile and sad eyes, “I can’t go back now, even if I wanted to.”

Louis gave Harry a weak sided smile, but he couldn’t bear with seeing Harry sad, so he just hugged him tight, because it was the one last hug and it was Harry and he loved him. Oh, he loved him a lot.

“Look, you got you now,” Louis said, with his voice breaking and tears rolling silently from his eyes, “You don’t need me anymore— you’re… ready.”

Harry hugged him back as well, maybe even tighter than Louis and started to sob into Louis’ shoulder. He didn’t want to let go.

“Please, don’t let me go,” Harry cried silently.

“Harry just— just kissed me,” Louis said, also crying, “Kiss me and say  _‘Goodbye Drop Dead Lou’_.”

Harry pulled away then, pressing his lips hard to Louis’ lingering the touch there, just a sweet simple kiss.

“Goodbye, Drop Dead Lou,” Harry said smiling, feeling himself drifting away from there, not able to hold Louis anymore.

“Goodbye snob face,” Louis said with a smile on his face as well, “I love you.”


	8. Chapter 8

Harry woke up in the carpet of his floor, just outside his room on the flat. He could still listen Nick inside the room, talking to Andrew by the phone. Which, by the way, was no acceptable to Harry anymore.

He got up and arranged himself, accommodating his fringe of curls by shaking them. Everything in the room seems a bit lighter, with more color. Also, he felt better, he felt finally peace inside of him.

“What do you mean it’s not good for you this way Andrew?” Nick said to the phone, “Wait just—,” the other line went dead, meaning Andrew hang up.

Harry, by the way, was listening everything now, waiting for Nick to come out and confront him.

Nick got up from the bed where he had been sitting all this time talking to Andrew, and changed him pants before walking out of the room, like if nothing had happened.

“It’s the salad ready, Harry?” Nick asked, looking at the bowl Harry had in front, where he had been preparing the salad.

Harry turned to see Nick then, with a little grin on his face, not making eye contact with Nick, “Yeah, it’s ready.”

Harry took the bowl in his hands and walked towards Nick, until he was closed enough to turn upside down the bowl above Nick’s head, all the fruit and lettuce falling in Nick’s hair, only to leave a very surprised Nick standing still.

Harry left the bowl in the counter then, looking now straight into Nick’s eyes, “Goodbye Nick,” Harry said turning to take his keys and wallet, “Oh and don’t worry, you can go back to Andrew now,” Harry said with the same grin in his face.

Harry took Nick’s car, because he wanted and he needed one and because it’s was awesome. Also, Nick deserved it. It was the same white car of his dream and to be honest, Harry liked it.

 Driving back to his house, Harry was admiring how everything seem lighter. How the air would actually feel in his face and how it didn’t bother. How the sounds just brought joy in his ears. How the lights of the city seem nicer and in some way, romantic. Life without Nick, so far, like in this twenty last minutes, seem better.

Harry arrived to his house, running upstairs to his close, not listening to Gemma’s shouts and calls, he just wanted to get a thing from the room. He closed the door before Gemma caught up with him and he sighed in relief, feeling a bit safer.

Just then, there in the nightstand, looking rather old and took out from a strange memory, there is was the old black box with teal lines all over it. That box, that little childish box where Louis used to live. And it’s funny now, because Louis didn’t like the box but somehow, it was his house and it was tiny and weird and magical, just as Louis.

Harry took it then, and it was the only thing he needed for his new life, for his new beginning.

Walking down the stairs, Gemma was waiting with phone in hand, talking to someone. Harry thought of who that someone might be but he didn’t like his guesses.

“Yes Nick— no no don’t worry,” Gemma said, glaring Harry, “I’ll talk to him… yeah, okay,” Gemma said before giving the phone to Harry, “It’s Nick, he wants to talk to you.”

“Nick?” Harry asked before Gemma could nod. Harry took the phone and hang up, turning his way towards the door, decided to leave.  

“Where do you think you’re going?” Gemma asked, looking at Harry in distress.

“Maybe a place where I can be myself, don’t know yet,” Harry said, half joking half serious.

“Are you kidding me?” Gemma said, angrier than before, “I’ve been trying to help you to get back to your normal life, your  _good_  normal life and you just want to leave it?”

“Gemma, please just— you don’t understand,” Harry said, not wanting to argue with her sister, “I’m not a kid anymore, I know how to take care of myself,” Harry said, with all the confidence he could gather, “And most certainly, I know what’s best for me and certainly Nick is not it.”

Gemma with mouth open and wide eyes, didn’t know what to say back, “Just— understand the fact that I need time for myself and that even if I love you, I have to leave,” Harry said, ready to go.

“Don’t you dare to go Harry,” Gemma said, now voice shaking and almost breaking, “Don’t— don’t leave me alone, I— I need someone here with me, I need— please just, don’t leave me just like our parents did.”

“Gemma, our parents didn’t opt to leave, they were taken from us, it was not their decision,” Harry said, returning to cup his sister’s cheek, looking at her deeply in her eyes, with fond and love, “You need to learn that and you need friends, not your little brother. You are young and beautiful and even if I don’t like to admit it, you are cool sometimes so just— go out and live life like how it was written!”

Gemma, finally, turned his gaze to his younger’s brother’s face, smiling lightly and nodding, maybe a tear or two rolling down her cheek. Harry swiped them with his thumb before leaning over her and kissing her forehead.

“Thanks for keeping up with me,” Gemma whispered, “Thanks for not hating me.”

“I would never,” Harry said, lying just a little bit.

“Just promise, you’ll be in touch, yeah?” Gemma asked, now going back to be the bossy big sister she was.

“Of course,” Harry said with a half smirk, “I’ll be here when holidays arrive!”

Gemma laughed and nodded, “You better, dork.”

Harry laughed, turning again towards the door, this time decided to not go back, “Love you, sister.”

**✖✖** **✖✖**

_|Two months later|_

Harry was walking down the street, with Austin at his side, not entirely hand on hand, but pretty much close to accidently touch once in a while.

They were just outside a little place where they sold froyo, just what Harry needed after a long first day of work as an editor in a magazine.

He now lived in downtown, in a cozy flat up in the fifth floor of a cool old building, which was just a few blocks from the froyo place and he was now truly happy. He lived alone and he had time for himself and to get to know more people and now with more confidence, he just made a couple of friends at work and yeah, everything was getting better him.

Also, after seeing Louis for the last time, Harry could now tell apart which people truly cared for him or who didn’t. And it seemed like Austin truly cared for him. Maybe even loved him. And no, maybe Harry wasn’t ready for that, but it was nice to have someone there to be with and someone who would be honest and someone who just accepted Harry for who he truly was.

So maybe Harry wasn’t interested in Austin—  _yet._

Once they arrived the froyo shop and made themselves inside the place, he recognized Zayn in one of the tables, far in the corner with a  _little_  someone.

Harry reached Zayn’s table and tapped him in his shoulder, “Zayn!”

Zayn looked up and smiled big and wide, “Harold! My weird curly haired friend, how are you mate?” Zayn said while embracing Harry in a big tight hug, not caring about Austin or the little someone.

“Good, good mate,” Harry said, stepping back a bit and smiling down at the chair in front of Zayn’s with a three year old, blonde rosy-cheek kid sitting there, “And I can see you are enjoying yourself here with little Niall.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Zayn nodded, still with even a bigger smile on his face, “Since Li is working, I decided to take him out for some frozen yogurt and you know, he’s enjoying it.”

Harry smiled then, because even though Liam had invited him over to their house to meet little Niall, he could never make it, so this was the first time he was meeting him.

He knelt in front of the little blonde boy, with scared look, not knowing who Harry was, “Hey there little buddy,” Harry said, trying to sound friendly, “M’ Harry, what’s your name?”

The little kid in front of him eyed him, from top to bottom and tried to answer, “Niall… I’m Niall,” the little kid said finally, giving Harry his little hand to shake.

Harry giggled and took the hand in his big one, “Nice to meet you, Niall.”

Harry stood up then, back to talk with Zayn, almost forgetting about Austin, “He’s adorable Zayn, I’m regretting not going back the first day you called.”

“You bet, you handsome shit,” Zayn said teasing, “In fact, you’re not the godfather anymore.”

“Oh no, you wouldn’t!” Harry said, hitting lightly Zayn’s arm, gaining a chuckled from Zayn.

Austin awkwardly coughed from behind, almost forgotten, “Oh right, Zayn this is Austin,” Harry said, taking a step back for Austin and Zayn to shake hands, “Austin, this is one of my best mates, Zayn.”

“Nice to meet you,” Austin said brightly, “And congratulations on your son, he’s adorable.”

Of course Austin was so polite. He always was.

“Thanks lad,” Zayn said smiling, “Nice to meet you too.”

Behind Zayn, Niall started to giggle, covering his mouth with one of his little hands, with eyes crinkling.

Zayn decided to ignore him, because that was just Niall, cheerful and bright and happy and carefree, so it was better to leave him be. Zayn tried to keep talking with both Harry and Austin, but Harry was mesmerized with Niall. Such a beautiful little boy.

He tried to look over him, not completely paying attention to Zayn’s chat, but rather looking how Niall was talking alone, or maybe with  _someone._

“You were right,” Niall said whispering to someone over his shoulder.

Harry looked down directly at him, only smirking.

“Shhh no,” Niall said now furrowing his eyebrows, “Stop it!”

Harry now had to kneel down again, trying to discover what was happening, “Who are you talking to?”

Niall turned to look at him, surprised and tried to shook his head and lied, but of course he couldn’t, he was  _still_  too innocent for that, “I don’t know if I should tell you.”

“Oi, and why is that?” Harry said with confused face.

“Well, he says he doesn’t want to talk to you right now,” Niall says.

“That’s right, and tell him I can’t believe he’s now dating that nerd stupid hot Austin boy,” Louis said, resentful.

Niall giggled again and shook his head, “I’m not telling him that.”

“Wha— why not?!” Louis said, now looking at the little boy, “You swore to said everything I would say!”

“Okay then,” Niall sighed and turned to Harry, “He says he can’t believe you’re dating that nerd  _stupid_  hot Austin boy.”

Harry laughed, because even though it’s been two months and he thought he would never know about him ever again, he was here, right here, being someone else’s imaginary friend. Harry shook his head, looking at Niall, “Well, tell him that no matter what, I will always love him above all things and that—,” Harry sighed and his smile lowered a bit, “I miss him… okay?”

Louis was now besides Harry, very close to him, almost touching Harry’s cheek with his nose, just staring at the curly boy, admiring him, “I will always love you too Hazza,” Louis said before kissing Harry’s cheek.

Niall nodded, seeing what was happening before Zayn interrupted, “So while you two kids,” Zayn said, looking at both Harry and Niall, “Were chatting and letting the adults talk, we have decided to get together to eat tomorrow, with Li and everything, in our house,” Zayn finished, looking for Harry’s confirmation.

Harry nodded, standing up from the side of the blonde boy and sighed, “It would be lovely, thanks Zaynie.”

“Nialler, baby,” Zayn then said, turning to see his little son on the chair, with a bit of froyo in the round of his mouth, already dried, “It’s time to go, sweetie, say bye to Harry and his  _friend_  Austin,” Zayn said with sarcastic voice.

Harry shoot Zayn a death glare, remembering to slap him in the back of his head tomorrow, until then, “Take care little boy,” Harry said to Niall, “Don’t let  **him**  convince you that  _snob face_  is actually a good pet name,” Harry said, finally winking at Niall.

Niall giggled, but then stopped, like listening to what Louis could possibly told him, so then Niall laughed harder, covering his mouth with his hand.

“What are you to talking about?” Zayn asked, puzzled.

Niall turned to see Harry and only grinned, both of them avoiding Zayn’s question.

“That’s my boy,” Louis said smiling to Harry.

**THE END**


End file.
